Asserting that “unconfirmed reports affected the authenticity of the media”, the spokesman said the reality about Mayawati's successor “would be revealed at an appropriate time”.

Verma’s appointment took even partymen by surprise as no one knew who he was.

The low-profile Raja Ram suddenly became the focus of media attention because he is about 20 years younger than Mayawati, does not belong to her family, and is a Dalit — the three attributes of her secret successor that Mayawati herself had listed.

In a speech at a party convention on August 9, Mayawati had said she had written her successor's name on the party letterhead, put it in a sealed envelope and given it to two confidantes who would open it at an appropriate time.

What fuelled the speculation about Raja Ram was the fact that he was party vice-president— the post that Mayawati held when Kanshi Ram was president.

In the BSP constitution, there is no cap on the number of general secretaries and secretaries, but there is only one post of vice-president and the person holding this post is most important after the national president.

Section 6 of the Article IV of the BSP Constitution says, “In the absence of the national president, all functions of the national president can be performed by the national vice-president, provided that all decisions taken by the vice-president in such a situation shall be put before the national president for ex post facto approval.”

Further, Section 7 says, “In the event of unfortunate demise of the national president, the national vice-president shall immediately and automatically assume charge as national president and shall continue to function as such until the end of the current term of the national president.”

Raja Ram, who is from Azamgarh, was initiated in politics by his uncle Bali Ram, a former BSP MP from Lalganj Lok Sabha seat who was very close to Kanshi Ram. Bali Ram, who was president of the Delhi unit of BSP, died on October 9, 2006. Raja Ram began his stint in politics as office secretary of the Azamgarh unit of the BSP. He was nominated to the Legislative Council by Mayawati on May 15, 2003, along with eight others. His term in the upper house of the UP Legislature ends on May 14, 2009.