As photos emerged of Akhilesh Yadav greeting Mayawati on her birthday and gifting her a shawl, a young man standing next to the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) drew media attention. Mayawati today confirmed that he is the son of her younger brother, and hit out at those "targeting her nephew". Akash Anand, 24, has been seen in several photos alongside Mayawati and other top BSP leaders. His father Anand Kumar, Mayawati's brother, is a former BSP vice president. Akash has not just been seen at multiple BSP events but also has accompanied his aunt on the 2017 Uttar Pradesh state poll campaign.