BSP releases list of 20 star-campaigners; Mayawati's nephew Akash Anand's name at 3rd from top

BSP chief Mayawati Wednesday announced she will not contest the upcoming Lok Sabha polls but hinted she could still be in the running for the prime minister's post.

New Delhi: Mayawati-led Bahujan Samaj Party released its list of 20 star-campaigners for first phase of Lok Sabha elections in Uttar Pradesh, which are set to take place on April 11. To everyone’s surprise the list also comprises the name of Mayawati’s nephew Akash Anand, who has been seen with BSP Supremo at various public events. BSP boss Mayawati’s name topped the list, which also comprised of Party leaders like Satish Chandra Mishra, RS Kushwaha, Shamsuddin Raeen, Rajkumar Gautam, Naresh Gautam, Suresh Kashyap, Mahipal Singh Majra and Janeshwar Prasad. The names of Rajkumar, Premchand Gautam, Satpal Peepla, Kamal Singh Raj, Murari Lal, Dinesh Kajipur, Virendra Jadav, Ravi Jadav, Ranvijaya Singh and Pujan Prasad were also mentioned in the list. BSP chief Mayawati Wednesday announced she will not contest the upcoming Lok Sabha polls but hinted she could still be in the running for the prime minister's post. The statement announcing her decision pointedly mentioned that a minister or a prime minister has six months to become a member of the Lok Sabha or the Rajya Sabha. The Bahujan Samaj Party chief has in the past indicated that she is not averse to becoming the country's prime minister and posters put up by her supporters in Uttar Pradesh have pitched her for the position. "In view of the present circumstances and the need of the country and the interests of the party, the movement and the public, it is the need of the hour that I do not contest the Lok Sabha polls, she said. But she told party workers to not get disheartened with her decision.