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Mayawati expels nephew Akash Anand from BSP
Sep-10-2026

Former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Mayawati expelled her nephew Akash Anand from the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), shortly after her nephew's father-in-law and former Rajya Sabha member Ashok Siddharth announced his retirement from politics. Mayawati’s announcement came a day after she had linked Anand’s political future in the BSP to Siddharth’s retirement, saying the party would consider restoring Anand’s responsibilities if his father-in-law gave up his political ambitions. 

BSP chief questioned whether Anand, whose personal and family interests she said appeared to outweigh his political career and the party's interests, could effectively work for the BSP while remaining ‘double-minded’. Mayawati said Anand's failure to repost her earlier X post showed his greater attachment to family ties than the BSP and its movement. ‘Mayawati said, ‘Therefore, the people in the party feel that just as he was relieved of all the important responsibilities of the post of national coordinator on September 3, 2026, he should now also be completely freed from the party from today. Therefore, if Akash Anand wants to remain independent in the party, he is free to do so; that is, he has now been completely freed from the party’.

Mayawati also described Siddharth's decision as a ‘correct step’ taken late and said his retirement had been sought by the party in the larger interest of the Bahujan Samaj Party, its movement and Anand. She said she had been ‘compelled to take tough decisions’ involving Siddharth amid preparations for the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, particularly as the party aimed to return to power in the state for a fifth time. 

Earlier, former Rajya Sabha member Ashok Siddharth announced his retirement from politics and social life, after BSP chief Mayawati linked his retirement to any future reinstatement of responsibilities to her nephew and his son-in-law Akash Anand. 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.

The development came a week after the BSP removed Anand as its national coordinator at a national-level meeting of party office-bearers in Lucknow on September 3. Mayawati had then said he needed greater political maturity and would not be given major organisational responsibilities for the time being.


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