BSP's family drama: Why no 'Anand' for Mayawati ahead of Uttar Pradesh elections?

NEW DELHI: Three promotions. Three demotions. And now staring at a possible exit!Well, that’s how the political scorecard reads for Akash Anand, whose “maturity meter” has not just failed him again, but has also put him on the brink of exit from the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP).7 days after his third demotion, Akash Anand finds himself in a difficult spot, with BSP chief Mayawati opening the doors for his exit from the party. "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 posted on X.This despite the fact that Akash Anand's father-in-law, former Rajya Sabha MP Ashok Siddharth on Thursday bowed before Mayawati's ultimatum and announced his retirement from politics and social life, after the BSP chief linked his "sanyas" to any future reinstatement of responsibilities to her nephew Akash Anand.In an emotional post on X, 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.FIL bends but Mayawati refuses to budgeBut neither Siddharth's actions nor his words made any impact on Mayawati.She questioned Siddharth's intentions, saying his "announcement should have come immediately after her call for him to retire." Mayawati alleged that the delay showed that Siddharth's ambitions and intentions had not changed completely."If Ashok Siddharth had even a little genuine concern for the bright future of his son-in-law Akash Anand and the larger interests of the BSP and its Ambedkarite Bahujan movement, he would have announced his retirement without delay," she said.Mayawati also slammed Anand for not reposting her earlier X post linking his future responsibilities in the party to his father-in-law's retirement. She said Anand had earlier reposted posts from her social media account "to demonstrate his loyalty," but had not done so in this case despite the post being in his own interest.Mayawati said this indicated that both Siddharth and Anand were more attached to personal and family interests than to the success of the party and its movement.She questioned whether Anand could effectively serve the BSP while remaining caught between his family ties and the interests of the party."If Akash Anand is less concerned about the real interests of the party and the movement and his own political career, and more attached to family relationships, then it is natural to ask how he can work for the good of the BSP and the movement while remaining double-minded," she said.Third time unlucky?Akash Anand’s latest demotion was on September 3, when aunt Mayawati announced that her nephew had again lost his political maturity."I have allowed Akash Anand to work in the party, which is before all of you, but Akash Anand still needs to become more mature. Till then, it would not be appropriate to give him a major responsibility in the party," Mayawati said at a national-level meeting of BSP office-bearers.And that ensured Akash Anand, the chief national coordinator of BSP, was back to square one. His Twitter bio reflected the sudden change in his status within the party. From BSP "National Convenor", he became "Party Worker, BSP." Just a few days later, he made yet another edit to his bio, which read: "Party Supporter, BSP." This is how his X bio reads now.It was less than a month back, August 10 to be exact, that Akash Anand had formally launched the BSP’s election campaign for the 2027 Uttar Pradesh assembly elections from Sadabad assembly constituency in Hathras. He addressed a well-attended rally and launched a broadside against the BJP government in Uttar Pradesh over jobs, education and law and order, while taking digs at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, calling them both “uncle.”From being anointed Mayawati’s successor to being a party worker and now a party supporter - it has been a tumultuous and bumpy ride for the young Akash Anand. And this time around there is a twist in the tale: Akash’s younger brother Ishan Anand has been brought to the centre stage.(function(){function e(){window.addEventListener(message,function(e){if(e.data[datawrapper-height]!==void 0){var t=document.querySelectorAll(iframe);for(var n in e.data[datawrapper-height])for(var r=0,i;i=t[r];r++)if(i.contentWindow===e.source){var a=e.data[datawrapper-height][n]+px;i.style.height=a}}})}e()})();On September 3, when Mayawati entered the venue of the meeting of office-bearers, walking behind her was not Akash but his younger brother Ishan. Wearing the BSP's blue sash around his neck, he stood behind his aunt till she settled down.Akash Anand entered politics in 2017 at the young age of 22. Anand, who did his MBA from London, made his political debut with Mayawati at a rally in Uttar Pradesh's Saharanpur, where he shared the dais with Akhilesh Yadav and Ajit Singh.In April 2019, Akash Anand addressed his first rally in Uttar Pradesh's Agra. The BSP was then part of the opposition Mahagathbandhan, an anti-Congress and anti-BJP bloc formed in the run-up to the 2019 general election under the leadership of Akhilesh Yadav and Mayawati with Ajit Singh's Rashtriya Lok Dal.Mayawati appointed him BSP’s national coordinator in June 2019. Since then, it has been a bumpy ride for him. Every promotion since then has been followed by a demotion.Anand's FIL connection and maturity questionAfter 6 days of suspense, Mayawati finally revealed what triggered her against Akash Anand yet again. In a long post on X, Mayawati explained how Akash Anand had once again, after two years, lost his “political maturity.” And also, what he could do to get it back.The trigger this time around was Ashok Siddharth, the father in law of Akash Anand. Ashok Siddharth was expelled by Maywati from BSP last month for the second time over indiscipline and anti-party stance.Taking to X, the BSP supremo wrote: “It is well known that Ashok Siddharth had previously been expelled for indiscipline and violating guidelines, specifically regarding the distribution of party tickets and a failure to coordinate properly with BSP Maharashtra state president during state elections. He had been reinstated on the condition that he would not repeat such mistakes and would be assigned responsibility of expanding the party's support base only in other states, not in Uttar Pradesh.”She also informed that Ashok Siddharth will not be taken back into the party “under any circumstances in the future”.Hardening her stand further against Ashok Siddharth, Mayawati stated that a clear path remains for Akash Anand to resume an active leadership role within the movement, provided Siddharth steps aside completely."In such a situation, keeping in mind the interests of the BSP Party and Movement, as well as his own family and the future of his son-in-law Shri Akash Anand, Shri Ashok Siddharth still has the opportunity to renounce his political ambitions, rise above personal interests, etc., and completely retire from politics. Only then will Shri Akash Anand be able to work freely in the party, and only then will the party sympathetically consider restoring his responsibilities so that he can play an active role in the party—this is the general consensus in the party," Mayawati said in her post.Urging people from the Dalit community, to not engage in any action driven by personal or familial interests that creates obstacles in their path, for which “history may not forgive them," Mayawati cited Ashok Siddharth as a prime example of an official prioritising "personal and familial interests and ambitions over the BSP's mission, despite receiving multiple opportunities to reform."The party gave him not just one but several opportunities to mend his ways, but he prioritised his personal and familial interests and ambitions over the BSP's mission, the consequences of which he himself, along with his son-in-law Shri Akash Anand, has had to bear," Mayawati said in her statement.Can BSP afford this 'family drama'?With the UP assembly elections just months away, a family drama is the last thing that the BSP cadres in the state would have hoped for. The party’s trajectory in the state has been downhill. In the 2022 assembly elections, the BSP could win just 1 seat with a vote share of 12.88%. This was a sharp decline from the 19 seats and a 22.23% vote share that Mayawati had got in 2017.(function(){function e(){window.addEventListener(message,function(e){if(e.data[datawrapper-height]!==void 0){var t=document.querySelectorAll(iframe);for(var n in e.data[datawrapper-height])for(var r=0,i;i=t[r];r++)if(i.contentWindow===e.source){var a=e.data[datawrapper-height][n]+px;i.style.height=a}}})}e()})();The 2024 Lok Sabha elections went on to showcase that Mayawati’s dismal 2022 performance was not an aberration. The BSP supremo failed to win even one Lok Sabha seat, while her party’s vote share dipped to 9.4% from 19.43% in 2019. Clearly, the results reinforced the gradual decline in BSP’s influence among Dalits.From a sweeping majority in 2007 to allegations of being the B-team of BJP, the BSP’s political fortunes have nosedived in the state. The BSP supporters have dwindled and some have even changed loyalties, but what remains still strong is Mayawati’s appeal and popularity among the party’s cadres.However, the 2027 challenge is going to be tough for Maywati and her BSP. The SP-Congress alliance managed to garner a lot of Dalit support in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, upsetting BJP’s applecart in the state and eventually at the Centre. Cleary this was not the time when the BSP chief should have precipitated action against Akash Anand and pitched one nephew against the other.Mayawati needs a strong comeback and to ensure that she has to first set her house in order. All the more, as she has announced that BSP will not enter into any alliance in future elections. The BSP needs to perform if Mayawati wants to remain relevant in the state’s politics. Another poor show where she wins votes but not seats will reinforce allegations that BSP is the B-team of the BJP.Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.