Mayawati Expels Nephew Akash Anand From BSP After Father In Law Ashok Siddharth Retires
Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati has taken another major decision regarding her nephew Akash Anand, removing him completely from the party shortly after his father in law and former BSP leader Ashok Siddharth announced his retirement from active politics.
The latest development has surprised political observers because Mayawati had indicated only a day earlier that Ashok Siddharth’s retirement could clear the way for Akash Anand to return to an important position in the Bahujan Samaj Party.
Mayawati had previously linked Anand’s political future with the conduct of his father in law. She said that Siddharth should completely withdraw from politics and that only then could Anand’s return to an important organisational role be considered.
Siddharth subsequently announced that he was retiring from politics and social life. His decision was widely viewed as a response to Mayawati’s condition concerning Anand’s future in the BSP.
However, instead of bringing Anand back into the party, Mayawati announced that he was being fully relieved from the BSP. The decision represents another significant change in Anand’s political position within the party.
Mayawati also criticised Anand’s approach to party affairs. According to her, Anand had not responded to one of her recent social media statements in the manner he had done previously. She interpreted this as an indication that his commitment to the party and the wider Bahujan movement had weakened.
The BSP chief also questioned whether Anand could effectively work for the organisation if personal and family relationships were taking priority over party responsibilities.
The latest decision marks another setback for Anand, who had previously been projected as an important young leader within the BSP. Mayawati had given him significant responsibilities in the party and had indicated that he could play an important role in its future political activities.
However, Anand’s political journey within the BSP has been marked by repeated changes in his position. He has previously been removed from important responsibilities and later brought back into the party.
Earlier this month, Mayawati removed Anand from the post of chief national coordinator, saying that he needed greater political maturity before being entrusted with major responsibilities. She also introduced his younger brother Ishan Anand to senior party leaders and assigned him an important organisational role.
The latest developments suggest that Mayawati is once again reconsidering the role of Anand within the BSP.
The dispute also centres on Ashok Siddharth, who has been associated with the BSP for several years and is Anand’s father in law. Mayawati had accused Siddharth of placing personal and family interests above the interests of the party and the Bahujan movement.
Mayawati had argued that Siddharth’s continued political involvement could affect Anand’s ability to work independently within the BSP. She therefore made his complete retirement a condition for considering Anand’s return to an important role.
Siddharth responded by announcing his retirement from political and social activities. He said that he was prepared to follow Mayawati’s direction and described his retirement as a decision taken in the interests of the party.
Despite this development, Mayawati subsequently decided to remove Anand from the BSP altogether. This has created a new turn in the internal political developments surrounding the party’s leadership.
The decision is also significant because the BSP is preparing for future electoral contests, particularly the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly election. Mayawati has been working to reorganise the party and strengthen its structure ahead of the election.
The leadership changes involving Akash Anand and Ishan Anand are therefore being closely watched. While Akash had earlier been viewed as a potential successor or prominent younger face of the party, Ishan has recently received greater organisational visibility.
Mayawati has repeatedly maintained that party responsibilities should be assigned according to organisational requirements rather than family relationships. Her latest decision has once again brought this position into focus.
The BSP chief has also emphasised the need for discipline and commitment among party leaders. She has expressed concern that internal differences and personal interests could weaken the organisation during an important electoral period.
For Akash Anand, the latest expulsion represents a major reversal. Only a day earlier, there was speculation that he could regain an important position after his father in law’s retirement. Instead, Mayawati has now stated that Anand is being fully relieved from the party.
The development also demonstrates the uncertainty surrounding Anand’s political future. His position within the BSP has changed several times over the past few years, with periods of promotion followed by removal and later reinstatement.
The latest decision could have implications for the BSP’s organisational strategy in Uttar Pradesh. With the 2027 Assembly election approaching, the party will have to determine how it distributes responsibilities among senior leaders and younger members.
The focus is now likely to shift towards the role of Ishan Anand and other leaders who may receive greater responsibilities within the party. At the same time, questions are likely to remain about whether Akash Anand could have any future political role outside the BSP.
For now, Mayawati’s latest announcement makes the immediate position clear. Ashok Siddharth has announced his retirement from active politics, but the condition that was earlier presented as a possible route for Akash Anand’s return has not resulted in his reinstatement.
Instead, Anand has been removed from the BSP, marking another dramatic turn in the political relationship between Mayawati and her nephew.