Lucknow: Akash Anand, nephew of Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati, has sought another opportunity to work with the party after writing an open letter to his “bua maa” on Friday, weeks after his expulsion.
In his first public reaction since being expelled on 10 September, Anand dismissed speculation that he would join another party, saying, “BSP is not just a political party for me; it is my family.”
The letter has triggered fresh speculation about Anand’s political future, with some party functionaries suggesting it could improve his chances of being taken back. Some leaders expect Mayawati could consider his reinstatement around 9 October, the death anniversary of BSP founder Kanshi Ram, when she is scheduled to address a public meeting in Lucknow. There has, however, been no official announcement from BSP on any such plan.
Addressing Mayawati, Anand wrote, “You are my political guru, my inspiration, and my bua maa,” adding that he had learnt whatever he knew about politics under her guidance. “I am not going to any other political party. Not today nor ever,” he said.
परम आदरणीय बहन जी,
आप मेरी राजनैतिक गुरु हैं, मेरी प्रेरणा हैं, और मेरी बुआ माँ भी हैं।
राजनीति में मैंने जो कुछ सीखा, वो आप से ही सीखा, जो कुछ किया, आपके मार्गदर्शन में किया। इसलिए आज अपनी बात सीधे आपके सामने और पूरे बहुजन समाज के सामने रखना चाहता हूँ।
पिछले कुछ दिनों से…
— Akash Anand (@AnandAkash_BSP) October 2, 2026
Mayawati had cited Anand’s failure to repost one of her posts on X concerning his father-in-law, former Rajya Sabha MP Ashok Siddharth, as one of the reasons for his expulsion. Siddharth was expelled from the BSP in August.
In Friday’s letter, Anand backed Mayawati’s decision to expel Siddharth and said he stood by it. “Relationships have their place, but the mission is greater than them. It is my responsibility to put the interests of the party and the movement above personal and family interests,” he wrote.
Anand also explained why he had not reposted Mayawati’s post, saying he had stayed away from social media at the time. He said his silence had been misunderstood, giving rise to speculation. “If my silence has hurt you, I apologise to you,” he said, adding that he wanted another opportunity to serve the party and its mission under Mayawati’s leadership.
“Trust is built not through words but through actions,” Anand wrote, saying he would seek to regain it through his conduct and hard work. “Babasaheb’s mission, Manyavar Saheb’s path and Behenji’s leadership—this is my politics,” he wrote.
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Third removal in two years
Anand’s latest setback was the third time since 2024 that Mayawati has expelled him from the party. At a meeting of BSP office-bearers last month, Mayawati removed Anand as national coordinator and said he would continue to work as an ordinary party worker, without any major organisational responsibility for the time being. Anand was not present at the meeting. His younger brother Ishan Anand attended it and was subsequently appointed the party’s national coordinator on 23 September.
In a statement after the meeting, Mayawati referred to Kanshi Ram’s approach towards family members. She said the BSP founder allowed his family and relatives to assist in the party’s work but did not favour giving them election tickets or government positions if the party came to power.
Mayawati said she had followed the same principle while allowing Akash to work in the BSP. However, she said he needed greater political understanding and maturity and that giving him a major organisational responsibility at this stage would not be appropriate. She also said this was necessary to prevent the party from suffering electoral losses because of strategies adopted by rival political parties.
A turbulent political career
Anand, 31, the son of Mayawati’s younger brother Anand Kumar, was introduced to BSP workers by Mayawati at a political rally in 2017. He formally joined the party in 2019 and emerged as one of its prominent campaigners during that year’s Lok Sabha elections.
Since entering active politics, Anand has seen repeated changes in his organisational position. In December 2023, Mayawati named him her political successor. During the 2024 Lok Sabha election campaign, however, she removed him from all party positions after a speech in which he referred to the BJP-ruled central government as “terrorist”, prompting the possibility of an FIR against him. He was reinstated in June 2024.
In March 2025, Mayawati again removed him from key party positions and expelled him. Anand later apologised to her and was reinstated, eventually returning as national coordinator in August 2025.
In September 2026, Mayawati once again removed him from all organisational responsibilities and subsequently expelled him from the party.
A BSP leader said Anand’s repeated removals and reinstatements had created uncertainty over his political future and the party’s direction. “He may return to the BSP, but for how long, no one knows. Behenji should trust him and give him a free hand. We are already late in starting our poll campaign,” the leader said, as Uttar Pradesh is slated to hold elections next year.
(Edited by Chingkheinganbi Mayengbam)
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