New Delhi: In yet another twist to the murky internal family politics of the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) leadership, party chief Mayawati on September 10 announced that she had cut loose her nephew, Akash Anand – once her heir-apparent – from the party, saying he was free to do as he pleased. Mayawati also publicly humiliated Anand’s father-in-law and former BSP MP, Ashok Siddharth, despite him giving in to her demand of retiring from politics to save Anand’s political future.The move to virtually ask her nephew to leave the party came a week after Mayawati – for the third time in two years – removed him from the post of National Coordinator. The latest round of family drama began on September 3, when Mayawati, at an all-India review meeting of her party in Lucknow, made two major decisions.She removed Anand as national coordinator, arguing that he required more “maturity” and that it would be improper to entrust him with major party responsibilities at this stage. On the same day, Mayawati introduced Anand’s younger brother, Ishan Anand, to party workers and handed him new responsibilities as a chief sector in-charge.On September 9, Mayawati issued a statement accusing Siddharth of prioritising his personal and familial ambitions over the BSP’s mission, a choice for which both he and Anand had to bear the consequences.“Ultimately, in pursuit of his personal interests, he never truly cared for Akash Anand or the BSP movement. Ideally, Ashok Siddharth should have set an exemplary standard of sacrifice and dedication for the party and society – surpassing that of others – but the reality has been quite the opposite,” Mayawati said.She then laid down an explicit condition: only if Siddharth completely retired from politics would she consider restoring Anand’s previous responsibilities.“Given the circumstances, and keeping in mind the interests of the BSP party and movement as well as the future of his own family and son-in-law Akash Anand, Ashok Siddharth still has an opportunity to set aside his political ambitions, rise above personal interests, and retire completely from politics,” she stated.“Only then would it be possible for Mr. Akash Anand to work freely within the party; the party would then sympathetically consider restoring his responsibilities so that he could play an active role.”BSP supporters believed this statement had set the stage for Anand’s comeback, as Siddharth was largely expected to adhere to her condition. On the morning of September 10, at around 6:43 a.m., Siddharth posted a lengthy message addressed to Mayawati on X, announcing his immediate retirement from political and social life.“Respected Behenji, I owe my life to you; retirement is a small matter – if I ever had to lay down my life for you, it would be a matter of pride for me,” wrote Siddharth.परम आदरणीय बहन जी सादर चरण स्पर्श!माननीया बहन जी आपको अवगत कराना है कि, मेरे लिए आपका आदेश दुनिया की किसी भी चीज़ से बढ़ कर है। आपके आदेश के आगे मेरे रिश्ते नाते, परिवार सभी बेहद छोटे हैं। आपके मार्गदर्शन में, मैं बीते पैंतीस वर्षों से बीएसपी और मान्यवार साहेब श्री…— Ashok Siddharth BSP (@MP_SiddharthBSP) September 10, 2026The former Rajya Sabha MP also denied allegations that he had worked against party interests or instigated Anand.“Far from offering advice to Honourable Akashji, I have met him only on a few occasions over the past several months – specifically when his programmes were scheduled in the states where you had entrusted me with responsibility,” he said.Siddharth added that rival BSP leaders were making false claims out of resentment over his position.“I humbly submit that this is a conspiracy hatched by my political adversaries – those who are themselves engaged in anti-party activities – and the truth of this matter will surely come to light one day,” he wrote.Just hours later, Mayawati posted a statement on X calling Siddharth’s decision a step in the right direction, albeit a belated one. However, she continued to question his intentions, asserting that had he possessed genuine concern for the Ambedkarite movement, he would have stepped down without delay.Since he did not, “it proves that Ashok Siddharth’s intentions are flawed and his personal ambitions remain undiminished—indeed, they persist unabated,” she claimed.She then directed a surprising charge at her nephew. Because Anand had not reposted her earlier statement about him and Siddharth, she claimed it showed a lack of loyalty to both his career and the BSP.“Akash Anand’s attachment to his father-in-law Ashok Siddharth outweighs his concern for his own career to such an extent that he did not even deem it appropriate to repost the relevant post from the BSP chief’s ‘X’ account – even though that post was intended for his own benefit and well-being,” Mayawati 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“This stands in contrast to his earlier efforts to demonstrate loyalty by reposting the BSP chief’s posts on ‘X’. This suggests that both Ashok Siddharth and Akash Anand prioritise their personal and familial interests over the success of the party and the movement.”The BSP supremo concluded that since Anand appeared to value personal ties over the party’s mission, he could not effectively serve the movement. She then announced that he was “completely freed” from the party with immediate effect.“If Akash Anand wishes to remain independent of the party, he is free to do so; in other words, he has now been entirely released from the party,” she stated.Anand began his political career by standing in for his aunt at an Agra rally during the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. Soon after, Mayawati named him her successor and appointed him BSP national coordinator. In the 2024 campaign, Anand came into his own, delivering fiery speeches against the Narendra Modi government that resonated with Dalit youth. However, Mayawati clipped his wings mid-election, removing him as her successor and publicly labeling him “immature”.Last year, Mayawati expelled both Anand and Siddharth from the party over accusations of factionalism before reinstating them.The latest developments mark a new low for the BSP, which was a dominant power in Uttar Pradesh just over a decade ago under four-time Chief Minister Mayawati, but is now struggling for political survival.Neither Anand nor Siddharth has publicly indicated their next steps, if at all. Political observers noted the significance of Mayawati using the word Azad (free) when releasing Anand – a name that echoes Nagina MP Chandrashekhar Azad, president of the Aazad Samaj Party (Kanshiram) and a key competitor for the BSP’s votebank.While some supporters believe Anand should consider aligning with the Samajwadi Party or Congress, the prevailing consensus is that he may wait out the storm. With under six months remaining until the 2027 UP Assembly elections, questions remain over whether the BSP will face further internal upheavals.Omar Rashid is an independent journalist.