Mayawati Expels Nephew Akash Anand from BSP Over Family Ties and Social Media Inaction
Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati has expelled her nephew, Akash Anand, from the party. In a statement shared on the social media platform X, she cited Akash's preference for his father-in-law, Ashok Siddharth, over the party, as well as his failure to repost one of her social media updates concerning Siddharth.
The decision comes shortly after Mayawati removed Akash from his position as the BSP's national coordinator on September 3. With this latest action, she has cancelled his primary membership, completely severing his association with the party. This marks the third major disciplinary action Mayawati has taken against Akash in the past two years, having previously relieved him of key responsibilities in May 2024 and March 2025 before later re-inducting him.
Dispute Over Family Ties and Social Media
According to Mayawati, the expulsion was triggered by Akash's apparent alignment with his father-in-law, Ashok Siddharth, a former Rajya Sabha MP whom Mayawati had expelled from the BSP in August. Mayawati expressed displeasure that Akash, who regularly reposted her updates on X, failed to do so this week when she posted about Siddharth. She stated this was a clear indication that Akash was favouring family ties over the party, questioning how anyone working with a "double mind" could serve the interests of the BSP.
Mayawati also questioned the intentions of Siddharth, stating that his retirement from politics came too late. She argued that if he had retired earlier, Akash, the BSP, and the broader Bahujan movement would not have had to repeatedly face difficult and adverse circumstances. Although Mayawati had previously suggested that Siddharth's retirement could help save Akash's political career, Siddharth's subsequent retirement announcement on Wednesday evening did not prevent Akash's expulsion.
Internal Party Reactions and Leadership Reshuffle
A senior BSP functionary expressed frustration over the ongoing internal disputes, noting that the party has been caught up in family drama for the past two years. The functionary questioned how the party would be able to compete against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Samajwadi Party (SP) in the upcoming elections while still entangled in family politics.
Following Akash's removal, Mayawati has initiated a significant reshuffle within the BSP's top leadership. She has appointed Akash's younger brother, 27-year-old Ishan Anand, as the party's chief sector in-charge. Ishan will review organisational work across states other than Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand, submitting reports to his father, Anand Kumar, who serves as the BSP's national vice-president. These responsibilities were previously managed by Akash.
With the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections approaching, Mayawati has urged party workers to counter the tactics of political opponents and focus on forming a government with a full majority under the principle of "Sarvajan Hitay, Sarvajan Sukhay" (welfare, happiness for all).
