New Delhi: Akash Anand, the nephew of Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati, offered fulsome praise of his aunt this morning, two days after being sacked from a senior post and downgraded as her successor.
In a brief note on X (formerly Twitter), Mr Anand acknowledged his aunt as the BSP's "universally accepted leader" and indicated he would follow orders without question.
"Mayawatiji... you are an ideal for the entire Bahujan Samaj (and) crores of countrymen worship you. It is because of your struggles that today our society has got such a political power due to which the Bahujan Samaj has been able to learn to live with respect."
"You are our universally accepted leader. I will follow your orders and will continue to fight for the Bhim mission and my society till my last breath. Hail Bhim, Hail India," he posted.
Mr Anand's post is being seen as an attempt to mend fences with his aunt.
Earlier this week Mayawati removed Akash Anand as the BSP's National Coordinator, and as her heir, "in the larger interest of the party and the movement". Mr Anand, she said, would be "separated from both these important responsibilities till he attains full maturity".
READ | Mayawati Sacks Nephew As Heir "Till He Becomes Mature"
The slap-down came after a police case was filed against Mr Anand for comments about the Bharatiya Janata Party, which he slammed as running "a bulldozer government" and raged, "The party that leaves its youth hungry and enslaves its elderly is a terrorist government."
READ | Mayawati's Nephew Compares BJP Govt With Taliban, Case Filed
The comment was made during an election rally and triggered Model Code violation cases against him and four others, after which his other engagements were suspended.
Mayawati had named him as her political heir in December.
READ | How Mayawati Killed 2 Birds With 1 Stone By Axing Nephew
With the removal of Akash Anand, Mayawati was seen as having achieved a double-goal - she steered clear of charges of nepotism that have been used mercilessly by the BJP to attack its rivals, most particularly the Congress, and also pacified Dalits critical of her nephew's rant against the BJP.
Crucially, she kept the door open for a post-poll alliance with the saffron party, either at the state (the party is expected to sweep UP's 80 Lok Sabha seats) or the central level. The BSP does have a history of supporting the BJP, having done so in 1995, 1997, and 2002.
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