LUCKNOW: The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), which appears to be fraught with internal conflicts, on Thursday saw another internal shake-up as party chief Mayawati “freed” her nephew Akash Anand from the party, divesting him of all responsibilities and party membership.
BSP chief Mayawati on Thursday took to X and, in a long post, said that Akash should be “completely freed” from the BSP.
Anand had earlier been divested of his responsibility as BSP’s national coordinator at a national executive meeting in Lucknow on September 3. Mayawati had then said Anand needed to gain greater “political maturity” and that she would not entrust him with major organisational responsibilities for the time being.
Thursday's development came a day after Mayawati asked former Rajya Sabha MP Ashok Siddharth, who is also Akash’s father-in-law, to retire from politics, linking it to his son-in-law’s future.
Following her ultimatum, Siddharth announced his retirement on Thursday morning through an emotional post on X, saying Mayawati’s command was more important to him than his family and political relationships.
He also denied influencing Akash, claiming that he had not met him during the last few months except at family functions, and said Mayawati should decide whether her nephew should be given any responsibility again.
In his farewell message, Siddharth urged Mayawati not to link his retirement with Akash’s rehabilitation, as he was too insignificant a worker of the party. He also sought to make clear that Akash’s relationship with Mayawati came before his relationship with him as his father-in-law.
'Mayawati’s order is greater than anything else'
Siddharth said he was retiring from political and social life “right now”, adding that if he ever had to give his life for Mayawati, it would be a matter of pride for him.
“Mayawati’s order is greater than anything else in the world for me,” Siddharth said, adding that he had remained dedicated to the BSP’s mission for the past 35 years and had tried to discharge every responsibility assigned to him to the best of his ability.
“You made a small worker like me a member of your family. This is a debt I cannot repay in this lifetime,” he added.
Siddharth also swore by Gautam Buddha and his political mentor Kanshi Ram that he had never worked against the interests of the BSP.
He alleged that some party colleagues had accused him of wanting to take control of the BSP and trying to mislead Anand because of the respect Mayawati had shown him. He asserted that there was “not the slightest truth” in the allegations.
“If you feel today that my remaining in political and social life is harming the Bahujan mission created by our saints, gurus and great personalities, then I am retiring from political and social life right now,” Siddharth said.
Siddharth added that he would remain indebted to Mayawati for life and said that giving his life for her would also be a matter of pride for him.
'Right step, though too late'
Mayawati, however, said Siddharth’s retirement was the “right step”, though “too late”, before saying Akash should now be “completely freed (independent) from the party”.
In a 10-point post on X, the BSP supremo deliberated upon the family equation and the rumblings in the party. She alleged that both Siddharth and Akash had become more attached to personal and family interests, leaving the success of the BSP and the Bahujan movement behind.
Her sharpest criticisms concerned Akash’s response to her social-media posts, wherein, she said that while Akash had earlier reposted posts from her X account to demonstrate his loyalty, he did not repost a recent post concerning Siddharth, even though she argued that it was intended for his own benefit.
Referring to his removal as national coordinator on September 3, she said he should now be “completely freed (independent) from the party”, effectively indicating that he has been fully relieved from the BSP.
Akash, who has emerged as a key face of the BSP’s next-generation leadership, has been drawing the BSP chief’s wrath from time to time. His political position has been repeatedly altered by Mayawati.
He was expelled from the party during the 2024 Lok Sabha polls by Mayawati, who had accused him of getting influenced by his father-in-law and needing more political maturity to be in public life.
However, Akash was reinstated by the BSP chief in September that year and was subsequently promoted to the post of party national coordinator.
Akash's exit comes at a crucial point as the Uttar Pradesh assembly elections draw closer. The latest exchange suggests that the dispute is no longer merely about organisational responsibilities but also about family influence and political loyalty.
Meanwhile, Mayawati has been promoting her younger nephew Ishan Anand, who has been seen alongside her in recent months.
