Mayawati Makes Brother Deputy in BSP, But He Can't Become MP or MLA

Lucknow: BSP chief Mayawati on Friday appointed her brother Anand Kumar as party vice-president, giving a glimpse of her succession plan.

The Income Tax department had on April 7 launched multiple survey operations at nearly a dozen premises of businesses and firms linked to Kumar. A survey operation under Income Tax laws pertains to raids where the taxman only visits the business premises of an entity and does not cover his or her residential premises.

Addressing the first programme of the BSP after a dismal show in the recent Assembly elections, Mayawati said she has no reservations in joining issue with other parties on the issue of alleged EVM tampering in the recent Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand.

"The BSP now has no reservations in taking the help of anti-BJP parties in its fight against EVM tampering and the BJP as it is the democracy which comes first...we have to keep democracy alive," she said.

Speaking for the first time before her party workers on her medical condition which she said has forced her to read written texts, she said she lost one of her glands in 1996. "One of the two glands in my throat was removed by doctors in an operation and so I cannot stress my throat too much," Mayawati said.

Adityanath has ordered an inquiry into the Mayawati-led BSP government's decision to sell 21 state sugar mills for a pittance in 2010-2011.

"A thorough inquiry should be conducted into the Rs 1,100 crore scam. If necessary, the state government would also recommend a CBI inquiry into the issue," the chief minister had said when presentations about sugarcane development department were made before him last week.