Mayawati expels nephew Akash Anand from BSP, day after stripping him of all party responsibilities

In a significant move, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo Mayawati on Monday expelled her nephew, Akash Anand, from the party, stating that the decision was made in the “interest of the party.” This came after a high-level meeting where Mayawati reviewed the party's leadership and made major structural changes to strengthen its position across the country.

Mayawati took to X to announce the expulsion, stating "In the All-India meeting of BSP yesterday, Mr. Akash Anand was relieved of all responsibilities, including National Coordinator, due to his continued association with the influence of his already expelled father-in-law, Mr. Ashok Siddharth, rather than the interest of the party. He was expected to show maturity and regret for his actions. However, contrary to that, Mr. Akash Anand’s long and elaborate response reflects not regret or political maturity, but rather, it is mostly selfish, arrogant, and non-missionary, influenced by his father-in-law. I have always advised and punished such people who follow such self-centred behaviour.”

Mayawati further explained that Akash’s behaviour showed a lack of political maturity, and his response to the expulsion decision proved that he had not learnt from the situation.

“Therefore, in the interest of the self-respect and self-pride movement of the revered Baba Saheb Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar and in line with the discipline tradition of the esteemed Shri Kanshiram Ji, Mr. Akash Anand, like his father-in-law, is expelled from the party in the interest of the party and the movement,” she added.

This decision comes after an earlier announcement by Mayawati that no successor would be appointed to lead the party during her lifetime. During the meeting, Mayawati appointed her brother, Anand Kumar, and Ramji Gautam as national coordinators to manage party affairs across India.

According to analysts, the expulsion of Akash Anand marks a major turning point in BSP’s internal dynamics and underscores Mayawati’s firm commitment to the party's principles. The party will undoubtedly face close scrutiny in the months ahead as it adapts to these new leadership changes, say analysts.

(With IANS inputs)