Lucknow:
Mayawati has “completely freed” her nephew Akash Anand from her Bahujan Samaj Party in a fresh twist in his political fate.
A day earlier, the former chief minister had sought Anand’s father-in-law, Ashok Siddharth, to retire from politics as a condition to back her nephew into the BSP.
That he did. Siddarath “renounced” his political life with an emotional post this morning.
Shortly after, Mayawati announced that Anand, who was removed as BSP’s national coordinator last week, had been sacked from the party as well.
“The people in the party feel…he should 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 said in a post on X.
Read: For Nephew’s Return To Party, Mayawati Sets “Sanyas” Condition For His Father-In-Law
Anand’s sacking comes ahead of the crucial assembly elections due next year in Uttar Pradesh.
‘Double Minded’
Justifying the move, Mayawati said Anand was more attached to his family interests than the party’s success, raising a doubt about whether he could effectively serve the party.
“If Akash Anand cares less about the true interests of the party and the movement and about his own career connected to it and more about attachments to relationships, then it is natural for the question to arise: How can he, with a double mind, possibly do good for the BSP party and the movement?” asked the BSP chief.
Read: Inside Mayawati’s Family Tussle: Changing Roles And An Upcoming Election
The former chief minister also described his father-in-law’s decision to step down from politics as a “correct step”, though late.
“Siddharth’s decision to retire from politics is a good thing, just like the proverb “better late than never”,” she said, adding that the party had sought his retirement in the larger interest of the BSP, its movement, and Anand.
If Siddharth had even a little concern for the bright future of his son-in-law, he would have announced his retirement from politics immediately yesterday, the BSP chief said, adding that a lack of delay would have ensured Anand’s active involvement in the party.
Read: Promote, Punish, Repeat: Decoding Mayawati’s Akash Anand Puzzle
“But the fact that this did not happen proves that the flaw and ambition in Shri Ashok Siddharth’s intentions have not diminished at all; rather, they remain fully intact even now,” she charged.
She had a similar complaint against her nephew. Even he has a strong attachment to his father-in-law, more than his own career, she claimed, pointing out that he didn’t share a post from the BSP account that she claimed was for his own benefit.
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