Mayawati declares nephew Akash Anand 'successor' again, revokes earlier decision
Lucknow, Jun 23: Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) president on Sunday declared nephew Akash Anand her successor and made him the party's national coordinator, reversing her own previous decision.
In the middle of the Lok Sabha elections on May 7, she had termed Akash Anand immature and relieved him of the party post.
After a national level meeting at the BSP state office here on Sunday, the party in a statement said it was handing Akash Anand his former responsibilities back.
"BSP's national president Mayawati has once again given Akash Anand a chance to work in the party with full maturity. He will continue to hold all his posts in the party as before.
"That is, he will remain Mayawati's only successor along with being the party's national coordinator," the statement read.
Mayawati, a former Uttar Pradesh chief minister, said she is hopeful her nephew will emerge as a "mature" leader.
"I am hopeful about him (Akash Anand) that now he will definitely emerge as a fully mature leader at every level in the interest of his party and movement. The people of the party will also now encourage him by giving him more respect and honour than before. So that now he can live up to all my expectations in the future," she said in a statement.
The BSP chief had announced Akash Anand as her "successor" in December last year. She revoked her decision after the third phase of Lok Sabha elections.
The former chief minister had then said that she had taken the decision in the interest of the party and the movement till Anand attained "full maturity".
Akash Anand was booked in a case of violation of the Model Code of Conduct for allegedly using "objectionable" language in an election rally in Sitapur.
The BSP, which contested the Lok Sabha elections on its own, did not win a single seat out of 80 seats in UP this time, while emerging Dalit leader and Azad Samaj Party (Kanshi Ram) chief Chandrashekhar Azad won the Nagina (reserved) seat in Bijnor district.
The BSP had contested the 2019 Lok Sabha elections in alliance with the Samajwadi Party and won 10 seats in the state.
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Three footballers of Indian origin named in squads for FIFA World Cup 2026
New Delhi: Three footballers of Indian origin have been named in preliminary or final squads for the upcoming FIFA World Cup 2026, scheduled to be held across the United States, Mexico and Canada from June 11 to July 19.
According to a report published by Mathrubhumi, Sarpreet Singh was included in the New Zealand national football team squad which was announced on Wednesday.
Born in Auckland to Indian parents, Singh was eligible to represent India through his family roots but chose to play for New Zealand. The 27-year-old attacking midfielder made his senior international debut in 2018 and has since become a regular member of the national side.
Singh has made 26 appearances for New Zealand and has scored three goals while providing seven assists.
Julen Lopetegui has included two players of Indian origin: Niall Mason and Tahsin Mohammed, in Qatar’s selections for the tournament.
Mason, a defender whose mother is Indian, previously trained in the youth academies of Real Madrid, Southampton FC and Aston Villa FC. Although he received his first senior call-up earlier this year, the Qatar defender is yet to make his senior international debut.
Tahsin Mohammed, 19, was born to parents from Kerala’s Kannur district. His father Jamshid is from Thalassery, while his mother Shaima belongs to Valapattanam. The winger became the first player of Indian origin to feature in the Qatar Stars League, Qatar’s premier domestic football competition.
Mohammed has made two appearances for the senior Qatar side, including in a World Cup qualifier against Afghanistan in June 2024.
The FIFA World Cup 2026 will be jointly hosted by United States, Mexico and Canada.
