Mayawati Expels Nephew Akash Anand From BSP After Father-in-Law's Exit

Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati has expelled her nephew Akash Anand from the party, announcing the decision shortly after his father-in-law, Ashok Siddharth, said he was quitting politics.

In a post on X, Mayawati said party members felt Anand should be "completely freed" from the BSP with immediate effect. She said he was free to remain independent if he wished, but was no longer part of the organisation.

The move follows a sequence of events that unfolded over two days. Mayawati had earlier asked Siddharth to renounce political life as a precondition for backing Anand's position in the party. Siddharth announced his retirement in an emotional post, a step the BSP chief described as correct, though delayed.

Mayawati said the party had sought Siddharth's exit in the larger interest of the BSP, its movement and Anand himself. Had he acted immediately, she said, Anand could have remained actively involved in party work. She argued that the delay showed Siddharth's personal ambition remained intact.

Turning to her nephew, Mayawati said Anand appeared more attached to his family relationships than to the party's success, raising doubts about whether he could serve the organisation effectively. She questioned how someone with a divided mind could work for the BSP and its movement, and noted that he had not shared a party post she said was meant for his own benefit.

Anand had been removed as the party's national coordinator a week earlier. His expulsion comes ahead of assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh due next year, adding to uncertainty over the BSP's internal positioning in the run-up to the polls.