The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) on Wednesday (September 23, 2026) appointed Ishan Anand, younger nephew of party president Mayawati, as its new national convener, days after his elder brother Akash Anand was removed from all party responsibilities. The decision was announced at a meeting of the BSP’s national executive held at the party headquarters in Lucknow, chaired by Ms. Mayawati, the party chief and a four-time former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister.

Mr. Anand, who has completed his Master of Laws (LLM), was present at the meeting along with his father and BSP national vice-president Anand Kumar. Ishan, in his address, thanked the party chief Mayawati for entrusting him with the responsibility of national coordinator and said he would discharge it with full honesty and dedication. 

“To all my respected colleagues, first of all, I say Jai Bhim to all of you. Friends, I express my heartfelt gratitude to the National President of the BSP, four-time Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, and former Member of Parliament, respected Mayawati ji, for entrusting me with the enormous responsibility of the post of National Convenor of the Bahujan Samaj Party, which I will fulfill with all my honesty and dedication. Furthermore, I wholeheartedly salute the great saints, gurus, and great men born from time to time in the Bahujan Samaj, especially the revered Baba Saheb Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar and the respected Shri Kanshi Ram ji, who dedicated their entire lives to empowering the people of the Bahujan Samaj, whose unfinished tasks are now being completed by respected Mayawati ji. I will never disappoint you, and I will always follow the path shown by our leaders. This is my promise to all of you. Thank you,” said Mr. Anand. 

The meeting chaired by Ms. Mayawati focused on reviewing preparations for the upcoming Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Punjab and strengthening the party’s organization. Ms. Mayawati asked party leaders to sensitize ground-level workers and supporters about the development works initiated by the party during its government. Ms. Mayawati has been making several changes in the BSP’s organizational structure in recent weeks. 

The BSP chief alleged that casteism is at its peak under the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government. “The extremely sad incident of suicide by a promising student from the Dalit community in a higher educational institution like IIT Mumbai proves that casteism is at its peak and the government, administration and university system are not ready to improve it,” said Ms. Mayawati.

The BSP president also criticized the central government for inflation, emphasizing its detrimental effect on poor and middle-class families. “The continuous increase in the prices of essential commodities and rising inflation will badly affect the lives of crores of poor and hardworking families, farmers, as well as the middle class,” she added.