Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati launched another attack on her nephew Akash Anand and accused him and his supporters of spreading rumours about her health.
She said she decided to appear before the media herself after claims about her being unwell began circulating. She said she has taken several tough decisions recently in the interest of the BSP and that these decisions are helping the party.
She also explained why she chose to address the media when she had recently used posts on X to communicate on several political issues.
“Party workers and people in the media may be wondering why Behenji has come before the media when I have been dealing with many major issues through Twitter,” the BSP supremo said.
“It was said that I was ill and that is why I was tweeting. That is why I have come before the media myself,” she said.
Mayawati alleged the rumours about her health are being spread by Akash and people around him. She then referred to a phone call that she said her nephew made to BSP state in-charge Alok Kumar at around 10 pm.
Late-night call
According to the BSP chief, Akash asked Alok whether she (Mayawati) was unwell and wanted to know about her health.
She said Alok told Akash that she was completely fine and continuing with her work.
Mayawati said Akash then told Kumar not to inform her about the phone call before ending the conversation.
“Akash called Alok Kumar at around 10 pm at my residence and asked whether Behenji was ill and how her health was. Alok Kumar told him that I was absolutely fine and doing my work. After this, Akash Anand said, ‘Don’t tell Behenji’ and hung up the phone,” she alleged.
She said Anand’s intention could have been either right or wrong. She then repeated her earlier criticism of her nephew and alleged that he was still taking advice from former BSP leader Ashok Siddharth.
“His intention may have been right or wrong. Even now, he is not working with his own mind. He is still working on the advice of Ashok Siddharth,” she said.
Mayawati had removed Akash from the BSP earlier.
BSP’s organisational restructuring
Mayawati also announced changes to the BSP’s organisational structure. She said the party’s national organisation has been divided into three sectors.
The first sector covers Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand. She said she would personally oversee the party’s organisational work in both states.
Other states have been divided between two sectors. Several leaders have been appointed as sector in-charges to handle the party’s work in these areas.
Mayawati said she would take regular reports from the sector in-charges in Lucknow and would also speak to them over the phone. The central in-charges of the other two sectors will submit their reports in Delhi.
She said meetings of the two sectors will be held every one-and-a-half months. BSP National Vice-President Anand Kumar will conduct these meetings, while the national president will submit the full reports to Mayawati.
The changes give her direct responsibility for the BSP’s organisation in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand, while the party’s work in other states will be handled through the newly created sectors.
