After repeated U-turns, Mayawati bets on Akash Anand to woo Gen Z

• Mayawati has reinstated Akash Anand as a key campaigner, scheduling rallies across three states.

• The BSP is seeking to retain young Bahujan voters amid concerns over its declining political representation.

• Chandrashekhar Azad's growing appeal among young voters is seen as a challenge for the party.

After repeatedly sidelining and reinstating her nephew Akash Anand, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati has once again placed her trust in him, assigning him a series of rallies across Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Uttarakhand.

The move is being seen as an attempt to retain the party's traditional Bahujan support base while reaching out to younger voters, particularly Generation Z, amid concerns over the BSP's declining political representation.

In a post on X on Sunday, Mayawati praised Anand's political maturity and organisational work, saying he had demonstrated “considerable understanding and maturity” after his father-in-law, Ashok Siddharth, withdrew from politics.

She also announced the dates of Anand's upcoming public meetings, signalling that he is likely to play a more prominent role in the party's preparations for future elections.

Political observers believe the BSP faces the challenge of retaining its traditional support base while preventing younger voters from drifting towards other political formations. The party currently has no representation in either the Uttar Pradesh Assembly or the Lok Sabha.

Anand's repeated removal from and reinstatement in the party had reportedly caused disappointment among some of his supporters and sections of the organisation. His return as national coordinator is now being interpreted as a renewed attempt to give him a larger role.

The Gen Z challenge

A former BSP leader quoted in the report said Mayawati continued to enjoy support among older generations of the Bahujan community, but younger voters could gravitate towards different political groups depending on their concerns and priorities.

Anand, the leader suggested, could help bridge that generational divide.

Bahujan thinker Rakesh Anand said the decision to promote Akash Anand was aimed at preventing younger voters from drifting away from the party's core support base. He argued that concerns about the younger generation's political allegiance had grown following Mayawati's earlier decisions regarding her nephew.

According to party insiders and supporters, a substantial section of the organisation had never favoured Anand's expulsion, with several senior leaders reportedly advocating that he be given further opportunities.

His renewed prominence is also being viewed in the context of the rise of Chandrashekhar Azad, the leader of the Azad Samaj Party, who has been building a political following, particularly among young people.

Some BSP leaders are concerned that younger Bahujan voters could split their support among different political formations. Discussions about the party's electoral preparations have reportedly included the need to address this challenge, with Anand's return to an active organisational role emerging as part of the response.

Rallies across three states

According to the schedule announced by Mayawati, Anand will address public meetings in Bulandshahr on 28 October, Saharanpur on 2 November, Ayodhya on 20 November, Agra on 22 November and Kanpur on 29 November.

He will also attend a Constitution Day event in Punjab as the chief guest on 26 November and address a public meeting in Haridwar, Uttarakhand, on 6 December to mark the death anniversary of B R Ambedkar.

The programme is expected to give Anand a more visible role in the party's political mobilisation across multiple states.

Ashok Siddharth's return ruled out

Mayawati also made it clear that Ashok Siddharth would not be readmitted to the party, dismissing speculation about his possible return. She held him responsible for recent developments that she described as unpleasant.

She further announced that her younger nephew, Ishaan Anand, had completed his legal studies in London and would assist with election-related and organisational work at the BSP's central office in Delhi under her guidance.

The decision to give Akash Anand a renewed role reflects the BSP's twin challenge of retaining its established Bahujan support base and rebuilding its appeal among younger voters. His upcoming rallies will offer an indication of how the party intends to pursue that strategy ahead of future elections.