Lucknow, December 13: Bhim Army chief Chandra Shekhar, considered a potential Dalit leader, has criticized Mayawati’s decision to name Akash Anand as her political successor. In a series of posts on X, Chandra Shekhar reminded Mayawati of her previous commitment to keep family members away from politics. Quoting Dr. Bhim Rao Ambedkar, Chandra Shekhar stressed the importance of leaders emerging from the ballot box rather than from family ties.
Referring to Mayawati’s previous statements, Chandra Shekhar highlighted that when Kashi Ram founded the party in 1984, he aimed to keep family and relatives away from politics for selfless service. Chandrashekhar criticized Mayawati for allegedly forgetting her commitment to the people.
In contrast, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) national coordinator Akash Anand has urged party members and supporters to be ready to fight for social justice. Mayawati officially named him her political successor during the national-level meeting at the state unit office.
“मान्यवर काशीराम जी ने जब इस पार्टी की नींव 14 अप्रैल 1984 को रखी थी तो उन्होंने फैसला किया था कि यदि मुझे निस्वार्थ भाव से राजनीति में कुछ करना है तो अपने परिवार और रिश्ते-नातों को राजनीति से दूर रखना होगा। इसी प्रकार मैंने भी मान्यवर कांशीराम जी के जीवन से प्रेरणा लेकर यह फैसला… pic.twitter.com/X6tWWvN35N
— Chandra Shekhar Aazad (@BhimArmyChief) December 11, 2023
Describing BSP as a mission, Anand stressed the need to take it to every corner of the country. Expressing his commitment to the long-term struggle for social justice, he acknowledged the importance of the support of party workers and youth supporters in this journey.
However, a BSP leader admitted that Akash Anand would face challenges from Dalit organizations seeking political influence within the BSP’s support base. Anand is expected to prove his worth by regaining the ground lost by the party after the 2012 assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh when the BSP lost power.
