Ishan Anand Named BSP National Coordinator as Akash Anand Is Expelled

Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) president Mayawati has reshaped the party’s leadership involving her brother Anand Kumar’s family. In early September she announced a “final decision” that neither nephew would hold party positions, then reversed it, appointing Ishan as national coordinator while removing and later expelling Akash. The moves come as the BSP prepares for the 2027 Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Punjab assembly elections, seeking Gen Z support.

The Indian ExpressHindustan TimesMayawati Hands One Nephew Key Party Post, Snubs The Other Hindustan TimesThePrint

• September 3 – Mayawati removed Akash Anand from the post of chief national coordinator.

Mayawati Hands One Nephew Key Party Post, Snubs The Other

• September 7 – Ishan Anand was appointed chief sector coordinator, tasked with organisational work in 19 states.

Hindustan Times

• September 10 – Akash Anand was expelled from the party.

Mayawati Hands One Nephew Key Party Post, Snubs The Other

• September 20 – Mayawati announced on X that Akash and his sister Deepika would remain outside party responsibilities, while Ishan would receive a “respectable role.”

The Indian ExpressMayawati Hands One Nephew Key Party Post, Snubs The Other ThePrintHindustan Times

• Late September – At a national executive meeting in Lucknow, Mayawati formally named Ishan Anand national coordinator.

Hindustan Times

Mayawati framed the appointments as a strategic effort to strengthen outreach to young voters and said the BSP remains “untainted” by dynastic politics, invoking founder Kanshi Ram’s principle that the party’s extended family is the Bahujan Samaj itself. She warned that Akash continued to act under the influence of his father-in-law Ashok Siddharth, a former BSP Rajya Sabha MP expelled for alleged anti-party activities.

Hindustan Times

Ishan Anand, a law graduate who previously managed family-run hotels and a pharma distribution business, thanked Mayawati for the “big responsibility” and pledged to work with “full honesty and dedication.” He invoked the legacies of B. R. Ambedkar and Kanshi Ram.

ThePrint

A senior BSP leader noted that the party now lacks a generational bridge after Akash’s removal and that grooming Ishan will require time.

The Indian Express

Mayawati highlighted the importance of Gen Z voters for the 2027 contests, asserting their support will be crucial for a BSP victory. She linked the party’s stance on crime control, law and order, and governance to an “Iron Lady” approach, positioning the BSP as an alternative to the BJP, which she claimed has seen a decline in popularity among younger voters.

ANI News

• Ishan Anand’s age is reported as 25 in one source and 27 in another.

Hindustan Times

• Akash Anand’s removal and expulsion occurred within a week (September 3 and September 10).

The Indian Express

• The BSP’s organisational reach spans 19 states where Ishan was initially tasked as chief sector coordinator.

Hindustan Times

• Age of Ishan Anand: Indian Express lists him as 25, while Hindustan Times describes him as 27.

Hindustan Times

• Timing of Akash’s expulsion: Sources agree on September 10, though some narratives refer to it as “a week later” after his removal.

Mayawati Hands One Nephew Key Party Post, Snubs The Other

• “She has entrusted me with the big responsibility of national coordinator in the Bahujan Samaj Party, which I will try my best to discharge with full honesty and dedication,” — Ishan Anand.

Hindustan Times