Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati on Thursday announced sacking her nephew Akash Anand from the party, hours after his father-in-law and former Rajya Sabha member Ashok Siddharth announced his retirement from politics.

The move to sack Anand, former national convenor of BSP, comes after a political drama over the former CM’s demand that Ashok Siddharth quit politics.

In a social media post, Mayawati said though Siddharth’s resignation is “a correct step”, but the move was delayed.

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Mayawati said Anand’s personal and family interests appeared to have taken over his political career and the interests of the BSP and its movement. She questioned whether he could effectively work for the party while remaining double-minded.

In a post on X, Mayawati said Anand’s failure to repost her earlier post on Siddharth’s retirement suggested that he was more attached to family ties than to the BSP and its movement. She said this was in contrast to Anand’s earlier reposting her posts to show his loyalty to the party.

“He used to try to prove his loyalty by reposting posts from the BSP chief’s ‘X.’ This too suggests that both Shri Ashok Siddharth and Shri Akash Anand have less attachment to the success of the party and the movement and more to their personal and familial interests. Yet, it is the B.S.P. that has elevated both of them, along with many others, from the floor (ground) to the heights of the sky (heavens),” She wrote.

1. आज श्री अशोक सिद्धार्थ द्वारा राजनीति से संन्यास लेने की घोषणा अति-देर से उठाया गया यह सही क़दम है।


2. वैसे लोगों का यही कहना है कि अगर यह फैसला वे काफी पहले ही ले लेते तो बी.एस.पी., बहुजन समाज व बहुजन मूवमेन्ट तथा उनके दामाद श्री आकाश आनन्द को भी लगातार विपरीत परिस्थितियों…

— Mayawati (@Mayawati) September 10, 2026

Mayawati said Siddharth’s decision to retire was correct, but came too late. She alleged that had he taken the decision earlier, the BSP, its Bahujan movement and Anand would not have had to face adverse circumstances and she would not have been forced to take several tough decisions concerning them.

The remarks came a week after Mayawati removed Anand from all organisational responsibilities, including the post of BSP national coordinator, on September 3.

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Earlier this week BSP chief sidelined her nephew, once seen as the party’s No. 2 and national convenor, saying he needed to become more mature.

Mayawati said the BSP’s Ambedkarite political tradition was built on sacrifice, struggle and staying above personal and family interests. She urged party workers to follow the example of B R Ambedkar and BSP founder Kanshi Ram and put the interests of the party and the Bahujan movement above personal ambitions and positions.

She said these principles were particularly important as the BSP prepared for the UP Assembly elections, where the party is seeking to return to power for the 5th time.

“if Shri Akash Anand cares less about the true interests of the party and the movement, and about his own career connected to it, and more about attachments to relationships and kin, etc., then it is natural for the question to arise: How can Shri Akash Anand, with a double mind, possibly do good for the B.S.P. party and the movement?” Mayawati said.

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She further said Siddharth should have announced his retirement immediately if he genuinely had Anand’s future and the interests of the BSP at heart. She alleged that the delay showed that Siddharth’s flaw and ambition had not diminished.

“Therefore, if Shri Akash Anand wants to remain independent in the party now, he is independent,” Mayawati said, effectively ending his formal association with the BSP.

The recent move follows growing tensions between Mayawati and Anand, who had earlier been positioned as an important young face of the BSP. Siddharth, Anand’s father-in-law, was also closely associated with the party and had served as a Rajya Sabha member.

Announcing his retirement earlier on Thursday, Siddharth said he was stepping away from political and social life. In an emotional post, he said that if he ever had to give his life for Mayawati, it would be a matter of pride for him.

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Mayawati ended her statement by calling on BSP workers to remain committed to rebuilding the party in Uttar Pradesh and securing a full-majority government under its slogan of “Sarvajan Hitay, Sarvajan Sukhay”. She urged them to face the strategies of political opponents with determination and make law and order and development the party’s central goals.