Both Nephews Out, Niece In: Latest Episode Of Mayawati's Succession Saga Has A Gen-Z Twist

New Delhi: One nephew keeps being thrown out and taken back in. The other, who had barely got a start, is out too. And now Mayawati has opened the door of the Bahujan Samaj Party to her niece instead, as her succession plan continues to revolve around her brother Anand Kumar's children.In her latest X post on Saturday, the 70-year-old leader ruled out any position in the party for either of her nephews, Akash Anand and Ishan Anand, and said their children would be barred as well, while holding open the possibility that her niece, Deepika Anand, currently a law student who is in her early 20s, could be given responsibilities. She said this decision is the final one."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," she said, referring to her youngest brother and party vice-chief Anand Kumar. The niece was named as the alternative that's permitted -- conditions apply.BSP chief Mayawati with Akash Anand and Anand Kumar when Akash was still in the succession line."If, while Anand Kumar remains with me, he needs another member to assist him, then in the current political situation, he can simply seek the help of his only daughter, Deepika Anand, who is currently studying law," Mayawati said."He can then, based on her honesty, loyalty, and efficiency, assign her his own responsibilities within the party as needed," she further said in the post in Hindi. Details on Deepika Anand are not readily available as she has so far been away from the succession rigmarole.Deepika might not even be willing, and Mayawati has kept that as a caveat in her newest plan: Anand Kumar "may, with the party's consensus, hand over this responsibility to another missionary worker from within the party's Dalit community".1. वैसे तो बहुजन समाज पार्टी (बी.एस.पी.) द्वारा पूरे देश भर में व ख़ासकर उत्तर प्रदेश में युवाओं को तरजीह देने की नीति के तहत जेन-जी को लगभग पचास प्रतिशत तक पार्टी संगठन में भागीदारी सुनिश्चित करने की प्रक्रिया काफी लम्बे समय से जारी है, किन्तु अब यूपी, उत्तराखण्ड एवं पंजाब…— Mayawati (@Mayawati) September 12, 2026Saturday's X post closes off, for now, about two weeks of movement around the two nephews. At the BSP national office-bearers' meeting in Lucknow on September 3, Akash Anand, 31, once positioned as Mayawati's political successor, was stripped of his responsibilities, with Mayawati saying he needed "more maturity". This was the third time such a thing happened to Akash.Ishan Anand, who is in his 20s and had been given a party designation less than a week ago, was present at that meeting. His designation now effectively stands withdrawn under Saturday's blanket bar on both nephews.Mayawati with brother Anand Kumar, his younger son Ishan Anand, and senior leader SC Mishra at the September 3 meet of the party in Lucknow where Akash was absent and ousted.The family question goes beyond the nephews and escalated on September 9 when Mayawati said Ashok Siddharth, a former BSP Rajya Sabha MP who is Akash Anand's father-in-law, has to "renounce" politics as the condition for Akash Anand to get back his job. Ashok Siddharth complied within a day, but Mayawati felt it was not fast enough, hence insincere. She also spoke about a post he had reshared on X. Plus, she was miffed at Akash for not resharing her post. The latest post, made on Saturday afternoon, did not refer to that turn of events as such. She simply moved on.She cited BSP founder Kanshi Ram's vision that "stood firmly against nepotism".As for why she had chosen even her brother Anand Kumar as a co-traveller in the BSP, she gave a justification."If I weren't a woman, I wouldn't have kept any of my brothers and sisters with me... I have been forced to keep my youngest brother, Anand Kumar, with me to ensure my safety, and to help me in the party." She added, "Now that his children are grown and married, I am facing a lot of difficulties. However, I will not allow any harm to come to the party."Alongside the succession bar came a generational pitch for the assembly polls due early next year, including in BJP-ruled Uttar Pradesh where Mayawati has been CM four times."The process of ensuring participation of Gen Z in the party organisation up to about fifty percent has been going on for a long time," Mayawati said, adding that the same criterion was now being applied to candidate selection for the assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Punjab.She said BSP governments in the past had worked "with strong will on the basic needs of 'Gen Z' and 'Gen Alpha'", citing schools, colleges, universities, hostels, training centres and parks.She also claimed there would be no further U-turn on the nephews, referring to expelled leaders. She said they are not being considered for readmission, calling social media claims "fake news".