New Delhi: It is impossible to discuss the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections without mentioning the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP). The BSP has formed the government four times in India’s largest state. BSP supremo Mayawati is known for making tough decisions that frequently become a talking point in UP politics.
During a meeting of the party’s national executive, Mayawati took decisions that have sparked considerable discussion. While she advised her elder nephew, Akash Anand, to gain more maturity, she kept her younger nephew close to her. Furthermore, she surprised everyone by announcing Akash Anand’s removal from the post of National Coordinator.
This is not the first time Mayawati has publicly removed Akash Anand from a position; it has happened twice before. In total, he has been sidelined within the party three times now. Meanwhile, the emergence of Akash’s younger brother, Eeshan, is also not a new development.
Akash Anand: From Trust to Setbacks
When BSP supremo Mayawati declared Akash Anand her political heir in 2023, it seemed as though a new era had begun for the party. However, he has now been removed from a major responsibility for the third time. This pattern of elevating him and then removing him suggests that Akash Anand has not yet established a strong foothold within the organisation. Effectively, Mayawati has dealt him three major setbacks in just a few years.
Aggressive Stance During Lok Sabha Elections Proved Costly
Akash Anand faced his first major disciplinary action during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. At that time, displeased with his rhetoric during the campaign, Mayawati removed him from all posts, including that of National Coordinator.
Moreover, she even withdrew the statement declaring him her political successor. However, a month and a half later, on June 22, 2024, Mayawati paved the way for his return by appointing him as a star campaigner for the Uttarakhand by-election. Accused of being under his father-in-law’s ‘influence’
Mayawati had removed Akash Anand from the post of National Coordinator on March 2, 2025. She announced that she would not declare anyone her successor during her lifetime. On March 3, 2025, Akash Anand was also expelled from the party. Explaining the reason for her displeasure, Mayawati stated that Akash Anand had come under the influence of his father-in-law, Ashok Siddharth. Former Rajya Sabha MP Ashok Siddharth had already been expelled from the party in February 2025. Subsequently, 40 days later, on April 13, 2025, Akash was reinstated into the party.
Father-in-law and son-in-law’s clout within the party
Meanwhile, at a meeting held in Lucknow on September 3, 2026, Mayawati removed Akash Anand from the post for the third time. The reason cited this time was the same: “Akash Anand still needs more political maturity.
