Former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Mayawati on Thursday expelled her nephew Akash Anand, 31, from the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) for the second time, a week after removing him as its chief national coordinator for the third time since 2024, following his reinstatement in March.
“This would have ensured Akash Anand’s active involvement in the party and the movement. But the fact that this did not happen proves that the flaw and ambition in Ashok Siddharth’s intentions have not diminished and remain fully intact.” Two hours after Siddharth’s post on X announcing his retirement, Mayawati said if he had even a little concern for Anand’s future, BSP’s interests, and its Ambedkarite Movement, he would have announced his retirement on Wednesday.
She added that he has been fully relieved. He blamed opponents in the BSP for engaging in anti-party activities and conspiring against him. Siddharth clarified that he was not misleading Anand or trying to take over the BSP. She added he did not even deem it appropriate to repost her post on X even though it was for his own benefit and well-being. “This too suggests that Ashok Siddharth and Akash Anand have less attachment to the success of the party and the movement and more to their personal and familial interests. “For this, no matter how much gratitude and indebtedness all these people feel toward the BSP and its leadership, it would still be too little… The party has no seats in Parliament.
In May 2024, Mayawati removed Akash Anand from the national coordinator post during the Lok Sabha election campaign and said he is no longer her successor. On August 2, Mayawati expelled Siddharth, a former lawmaker, from the party for anti-party activities. Mayawati, who won a clear five-year mandate to rule Uttar Pradesh in 2007, has maintained an iron grip over the party despite growing erosion in the BSP’s support base. BSP’s lone lawmaker in the 403-member Uttar Pradesh died in August.
Siddharth said that instead of harming the party’s mission, he was renouncing political and social life. Mayawati said Anand is attached to Siddharth more than to his own career. Mayawati said he used to try to prove his loyalty by reposting her posts. Mayawati said the BSP elevated both of them to heights. The move came after a hate speech case was lodged against him for the alleged “use of unparliamentary language” in criticising the Bharatiya Janata Party government. Earlier reporting noted: Mayawati expels Akash Anand from BSP after Ashok Siddharth announces ‘sanyas’ BSP national president Mayawati has again expelled her nephew Akash Anand from the party. (File Photo) Earlier reporting noted: LUCKNOW: In a major development unfolding in the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), party national president Mayawati, on Thursday, said that Akash Anand, her nephew, and former national convener of the party, has been “fully relieved” from the party.
Earlier reporting noted: Ashok Siddharth must retire to save Akash Anand’s political future: Mayawati BSP president Mayawati The expulsion came despite Anand’s father-in-law, Ashok Siddharth, announcing his retirement from active politics after Mayawati indicated on Wednesday that her nephew could regain an organisational role if Siddharth did so. In a post on X, Mayawati on Thursday said Anand is now completely free from the party.
