Xpress News24
Lucknow: Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati has expelled her nephew Akash Anand from the party, accusing him of adopting a “double-minded” approach and questioning whether he can work in the interest of the party and the broader Bahujan movement with such a stance.
Mayawati announced the decision through a statement posted on her official X handle on Thursday morning. The action came shortly after Akash Anand’s father-in-law and former BSP leader Ashok Siddharth announced his decision to retire from active politics.
Mayawati described Siddharth’s decision as a late but correct step. At the same time, she questioned his intentions and political conduct.
According to Mayawati, if Siddharth had stepped away from politics earlier, the BSP, the Bahujan movement and Akash Anand himself would not have faced the difficulties that followed. She also alleged that Siddharth’s political ambitions had not completely ended.
Mayawati said that had Siddharth genuinely been concerned about Akash Anand’s political future and the interests of the BSP, he would have distanced himself from politics much earlier.
The BSP chief’s statement also focused directly on Akash Anand’s conduct. Mayawati pointed out that Anand did not share her latest statement on X, despite having shared her posts on earlier occasions.
She questioned whether Anand’s attachment to family relationships had become more important to him than the interests of the BSP, the Bahujan movement and his own political career.
“If” Anand prioritises family ties over these political considerations, Mayawati argued, then it raises a question about how he can work effectively for the party and the Bahujan movement while remaining “double-minded”.
The development marks another major setback for Akash Anand, who had earlier emerged as one of the prominent younger faces associated with the BSP. His political positioning and relationship with Mayawati have been closely watched within the party and among political observers.
The latest decision also comes at a time when the BSP continues to work on strengthening its political organisation and electoral strategy. Mayawati has repeatedly emphasised organisational discipline and loyalty to the party and the Bahujan movement.
The expulsion of Anand, coupled with Mayawati’s criticism of Ashok Siddharth, indicates a widening political distance within the family-linked leadership structure of the BSP.
For now, Mayawati’s statement makes the party’s position on Akash Anand clear. His next political move, however, remains a matter of speculation, while further developments from the BSP and Anand’s side are awaited.
