Mayawati Removes Nephew Akash Anand From BSP Over Family Ties

BSP chief Mayawati on Thursday completely removed her nephew Akash Anand from all association with the party. She cited his excessive attachment to family ties and inability to work with clarity for the BSP and the Bahujan movement.

The immediate cause was Anand's refusal to repost a message from Mayawati about his father-in-law Ashok Siddharth on social media. Mayawati said this raised concerns about whether Anand was prioritising family relationships over party interests. She questioned how he could work for the BSP while being "in a double mind."

This is the third major setback for Anand since emerging as Mayawati's political successor. In September, she had removed him as national coordinator, stating he lacked political maturity. The action comes hours after Siddharth announced his retirement from politics.