‘Akhilesh uncle, not bhaiyya’: Akash Anand begins BSP’s Gen Z outreach

BSP national convenor Akash Anand launched a campaign targeting young voters in Uttar Pradesh ahead of the 2027 Assembly elections. Addressing a public meeting in Sadabad Assembly constituency, Anand criticized the Yogi Adityanath government over education, unemployment, and law and order. He urged the younger generation to choose leaders who would fight for their future.

Anand, a 30-year-old, connected with the audience by mentioning his participation in a recent protest against paper leaks in Delhi. He emphasized that while protests were important, they needed to be followed by political action. Anand described his speech as "behenji ka sandesh" (Mayawati's message), positioning himself as a younger alternative to Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav and opposition leader Rahul Gandhi.

He claimed that more than 25,000 schools had been closed in Uttar Pradesh and that 1.5 lakh government teacher posts remained vacant. Anand also attacked the previous SP government, alleging that riots took place during its tenure and that districts named after social reformers were renamed. He accused the BJP government of spending over Rs 7,000 crore on advertisements while failing to fill government job vacancies and run schools.

Anand demanded accountability for the past 10 years from the BJP. He also questioned the rule of law in Uttar Pradesh, citing high crime rates and the arrest of protesters against the demolition of a Guru Ghar in Tughlakabad, Delhi.