Udit Raj: 'Mayawati wants BSP destroyed' over succession shift
Synopsis
Mayawati has barred both her nephews from BSP positions while leaving a door open for her niece — and Congress leader Udit Raj says it is Mayawati herself who is 'destroying' the party. With Akash Anand's political future uncertain and the Samajwadi Party signalling a welcome, the BSP's succession crisis has suddenly become one of UP's sharpest political flashpoints.
Key Takeaways
Congress leader Udit Raj alleged that Mayawati 'herself wants the BSP to be destroyed' over her latest succession announcement.
Mayawati declared on X on Saturday that nephews Akash Anand and Ishan Anand — and their children — are permanently barred from BSP positions.
Her niece Deepika Anand , a law student in her early 20s and daughter of BSP vice-chief Anand Kumar , has been kept in consideration for future party responsibilities.
Samajwadi Party spokesperson Fakhrul Hasan Chand said Akhilesh Yadav would welcome Akash Anand if he chose to join the SP.
Udit Raj alleged the decision may have been made 'under pressure from the BJP,' though this remains unverified.
Congress spokesperson Surendra Rajput declined to comment on reported talks between Akash Anand and Chandrashekhar .
Congress leader Udit Raj on 13 September 2026 launched a sharp attack on Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati over her latest succession announcement, alleging that her decision to open the door for her niece while barring her two nephews from party positions was driven by deep-seated insecurity and could spell the end of the party as a political force.
What Udit Raj Said
'I think Mayawati ji herself wants the BSP to be destroyed. So, whether it is a big leader or anyone else, once a person makes a mistake, they learn from that mistake,' Udit Raj said. He accused Mayawati of having systematically purged senior leaders with roots in the BSP's founding era under Kanshi Ram. 'She expelled all of Kanshi Ram ji's missionary associates one by one. So, she is very insecure, and I don't know why she is doing this,' he added.
Raj also raised the spectre of external political influence, saying, 'Secondly, it is very possible that this is happening under pressure from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).' The allegation, while unverified, reflects a broader opposition narrative that the BSP's internal decisions are being shaped by forces outside the party.
Mayawati's Succession Announcement
The controversy follows Mayawati's post on X on Saturday, in which she declared a sweeping change to the BSP's internal hierarchy. She announced that neither of her nephews — Akash Anand and Ishan Anand, sons of her youngest brother and BSP vice-chief Anand Kumar — would be given any position within the party, big or small. She further stated that their children would also be permanently barred from holding party posts.
'Today is my final decision and pledge that none of [Anand Kumar's] sons will be given an opportunity to engage in politics by holding any position, big or small, within the BSP,' Mayawati said, describing the announcement as her 'final decision and pledge.' At the same time, she kept the door open for Deepika Anand, Anand Kumar's daughter and a law student in her early 20s, to eventually take on responsibilities in the party.
Samajwadi Party Signals Welcome for Akash Anand
The development has triggered political speculation about where Akash Anand, previously seen as Mayawati's political heir, might turn next. Samajwadi Party (SP) spokesperson Fakhrul Hasan Chand signalled the party's openness to receiving him. 'When Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav ji was asked about Akash Anand, he said that if he joins, he will be welcomed into the party,' Chand said. 'The Samajwadi Party believes that its doors are open to everyone who has faith in the leadership of Akhilesh Yadav ji and the ideology of the Samajwadi Party,' he added.
Chand declined to comment on reports linking Akash Anand to another political outfit, saying the SP had no view on 'who joins or leaves Chandrashekhar's party and what he offers.'
Congress Stays Neutral on Akash-Chandrashekhar Talks
Congress spokesperson Surendra Rajput adopted a cautious line, distancing the party from any direct comment on the reported talks between Akash Anand and Chandrashekhar. 'Now this is a matter between Chandrashekhar ji and Akash Anand ji. What the two people discuss or do not discuss, it would not be appropriate for us to make any statement on this decision, announcement or statement,' Rajput said.
What This Means for BSP's Future
This is not the first time Mayawati has reshuffled her succession plans — Akash Anand was previously elevated as her political successor before being removed from that designation. Critics argue that the repeated reversals reflect an inability to institutionalise leadership beyond Mayawati herself, a structural weakness that has contributed to the party's declining electoral footprint across Uttar Pradesh and beyond. The BSP's vote share in the 2022 Uttar Pradesh assembly elections had already fallen sharply, and the latest internal turbulence is unlikely to reassure cadres or Dalit voters watching the party's direction closely. All eyes are now on whether Deepika Anand steps into a formal role and how the party's rank and file responds to yet another change at the top.
Point of View
Untested niece is the clearest sign yet that the BSP has no viable institutional succession plan beyond its founder. Udit Raj's 'BJP pressure' allegation is unverified, but the political optics are damaging regardless: every internal reversal reinforces a narrative of a party in managed decline. The SP's open-arms posture toward Akash Anand is also telling — it signals that UP's opposition space is being actively redrawn, and the BSP's Dalit constituency is now genuinely in play. The real question is not who leads BSP next, but whether the party can survive another cycle of self-inflicted leadership turbulence.
NationPress
13 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What did Mayawati announce about BSP succession?
Mayawati announced on X that her nephews Akash Anand and Ishan Anand — along with their future children — are permanently barred from holding any position in the BSP. She described this as her 'final decision and pledge,' while keeping open the possibility of responsibilities for her niece Deepika Anand, a law student in her early 20s.
Why did Udit Raj criticise Mayawati's decision?
Congress leader Udit Raj alleged that the decision reflected deep insecurity within Mayawati's leadership, pointing to her track record of expelling senior leaders associated with BSP founder Kanshi Ram. He also alleged, without providing evidence, that the move may have been made under pressure from the BJP.
What is the Samajwadi Party's position on Akash Anand?
SP spokesperson Fakhrul Hasan Chand said Akhilesh Yadav had indicated that Akash Anand would be welcomed if he chose to join the Samajwadi Party. The SP described its doors as open to all who believe in Akhilesh Yadav's leadership and the party's ideology.
Who is Deepika Anand and why is she significant?
Deepika Anand is the daughter of Anand Kumar — Mayawati's youngest brother and the BSP's vice-chief. She is currently a law student in her early 20s and is the only member of the Anand Kumar family whom Mayawati has left in consideration for future BSP responsibilities.
What does this row mean for the BSP's political future?
The latest succession reversal deepens concerns about the BSP's long-term stability. With Akash Anand sidelined and rival parties signalling an interest in absorbing him, the BSP risks losing both internal cohesion and its broader Dalit electoral constituency in Uttar Pradesh, where its vote share had already declined sharply in 2022.
