While Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo Mayawati made it clear on Monday, while addressing a press conference on her 68th birthday, that she will continue to lead the party, her nephew Akash Anand has been increasingly making his mark in the party, mainly by ensuring that it becomes more tech-savvy.

The 33-year-old BSP national coordinator, Akash was named by Mayawati as her “uttaradhikari” (successor) at a party meeting last month. The BSP’s footprint on social media has expanded in the last few months, with Akash steering the process of this change.

The BSP has been late in adapting to new technology as tools for its public outreach and politics. In sharp contrast, other major Uttar Pradesh players – including the ruling BJP, the principal Opposition Samajwadi Party (SP), and the Congress – have been active on social media for years, engaging with youth and other sections through various digital platforms ranging from WhatsApp and Facebook to X and Instagram.

The BSP has always maintained its image of being different from other parties in outreach and campaigning methods, with Mayawati largely remaining aloof from social media. But that seems to be changing now with Akash stepping up his engagement in the party affairs. In fact, Akash was credited with getting Mayawati to join Twitter some years ago. He was also involved in the BSP’s campaigning in recent Assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Telangana. The party won two seats in Rajasthan while it drew a blank in the other three states.

On January 11, Akash released a video on social media while launching the party membership drive through a missed call. “To fight for our rights, to struggle for social change, to build an egalitarian society in the country, we need to be organized, and it will start with you. To join this mission, give a missed call… and connect with me directly,” said his post. This was accompanied by a video with an appeal from Akash, along with archival footage of Mayawati. The video was shot at the Bahujan Prerna Kendra in New Delhi amid the statues of B R Ambedkar, Kanshi Ram and Mayawati.

ना रुके हैं, ना रुकेंगे, सत्ता की ‘गुरु किल्ली’ लेकर रहेंगे

अपने अधिकारों की लड़ाई के लिए, सामाजिक परिवर्तन के संघर्ष के लिए, देश में समतामूलक समाज बनाने के लिए हमें संगठित होना होगा, और ये आपसे शुरू होगा।

इस मिशन से जुड़ने के लिए 9911278181 पर एक मिस्ड कॉल दीजिए और सीधे मुझसे… pic.twitter.com/HARj5mD1oL

— Akash Anand (@AnandAkash_BSP) January 11, 2024

BSP insiders say that “the party’s adaptation to new technology and social media is intended to bring on board more youth from the marginalised communities”. A party leader said, “In today’s time, every youngster has a mobile phone and is using social media. Hence, it is the demand of today’s age to ensure that the party’s ideology and message reaches everyone.”

While naming Akash as her successor, Mayawati had also entrusted him with the responsibility of strengthening the party in all states barring UP and Uttarakhand, party insiders said.

A functionary of the BSP social media team in New Delhi told The Indian Express that the party will increasingly adapt to new digital tools and platforms in the coming months amid the Lok Sabha polls. “Work is already being done on a website for the BSP. Other things like live streaming of our president Mayawati ji’s speeches and press conferences on YouTube will be done. We are also planning to scale up her social media outreach to increase the party’s influence among the youth. Earlier, such innovations used to be brought by Satish Chandra Mishra, but now, it is Akash Anand ji who has taken charge of these things to ensure more visibility for the party in the future,” he said.

The BSP’s communication with the people and media has mostly been one way so far – tightly controlled by the party chief. Mayawati does not reveal any aspect of her personal life in public, even as her party leaders are given instructions not to give interviews to the media. Mayawati herself does not appear for TV events and interviews, although she periodically addresses press conferences at her party office in Lucknow’s Mall Avenue.

BSP leaders say that such an “outdated communication system” may have worked for Mayawati in the past, but with changing time the party is now forced to look for “newer and better ways” to connect with the people. A veteran BSP leader said, “Earlier, we used to get communications from the party through letters and post cards, but now those things are outdated, and hence, we are taking up new forms of communication. Behenji (Mayawati) has been on Twitter for years, and communicates with the people through the social media platform.”

With the BSP having been on the decline since 2012, when it lost power in the state, many within the party feel that its revival might take years. “I think the party is working on a long-term project where it is seeing the distant future. With the BJP, Prime Minister Modi, Chief Minister Adityanath having adopted social media completely, the BSP has been left lagging. But the BSP always does things in its own way and has succeeded too. Hence, we are hopeful of a bright future,” said a party leader.