'BSP is my family': Akash Anand's fresh appeal to Mayawati after party exit
Akash Anand has publicly reaffirmed his loyalty to the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and Mayawati following his removal from party leadership roles. The rift was reportedly triggered by Anand's failure to publicly support Mayawati's stance on his father-in-law's political retirement.
Why it matters
The internal conflict highlights the complex dynamics of succession and loyalty within one of India's prominent political parties.
LUCKNOW: "Respected Bahanji, I am not going to any other political party. Not today, not ever. The BSP is not just a party for me; it is my family." Akash Anand's declaration on Friday comes after weeks of uncertainty over his political future and nearly three weeks after Mayawati first removed him as the BSP's national coordinator and then completely relieved him from the party on September 10.His latest message is seen as an attempt to make his position clear, but it also directly addresses the issue that became central to Mayawati's decision: his silence when she asked his father-in-law, Ashok Siddharth, to retire from politics.Anand's expulsion was the latest turn in a political relationship that had already seen repeated reversals.He had been expelled from the BSP in May 2024 and again in March 2025, only to be taken back within a month on both occasions and subsequently given important…
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