BSP Chief Mayawati Forgives Nephew Akash Anand, Takes Him Back In Party

BSP supremo Mayawati offered "one more chance" to nephew Akash Anand to work for the party on Sunday, hours after the expelled leader issued a public apology to her. Mayawati also said that till she is healthy and will not announce any successor.

Earlier, in a post on X, Anand said he considered her as his "one and only political guru and role model." He said he would not to let his personal relationships, especially in-laws, interfere with his commitment to the party. Akash also apologised for a recent post on X that reportedly led to his expulsion from the Bahujan Samaj Party.

"I seek forgiveness for a tweet I posted a few days ago, which led to my removal from the party by Behan ji. I assure that I will not take any political decision based on advice from relatives or external advisors," he said, and sought forgiveness.

Within hours, Mayawati in a post on X announced she had chosen to give the repentant nephew another chance into the party.

"In view of Akash Anand's four posts on X today, publicly admitting his mistakes and giving full respect to the seniors, and not giving in to his father-in-law's words and devoting his life to the BSP, it has been decided to give him one more chance.

"By the way, I am healthy now and as long as I am healthy, like the Shri Kanshiram ji, I will continue to work for the party and the movement with full dedication and devotion. In such a situation, there is no question of announcing a successor. I am firm on my decision and will remain so," she said. "After being expelled from the party, Akash has been continuously contacting people to apologise for all his mistakes and not to commit such mistakes in future and today he has publicly admitted his mistakes and has expressed his resolve not to give in to his father-in-law's words," she added.

Mayawati, however, said his Akash's father-in-law Ashok Siddharth will not be taken back into the party for his "unforgivable" acts. "... Along with extreme anti-party activities like factionalism etc, he has left no stone unturned in ruining Akash's career.

Therefore, the question of forgiving him and taking him back into the party does not arise," she said. Mayawati had on March 2 removed Akash from all party posts and appointed his father Anand Kumar national coordinator in his place. A disappointed Mayawati then said she would not name a successor in her lifetime. "The party is supreme and relations can come later," Mayawati, who had sacked Akash last year only to later reinstate him and appoint him her political successor, said.

On March 3, she expelled Akash from the party. Mayawati said that Akash's response to her action against him was "selfish and arrogant." At that time, Akash had said, "Some people from the rival party are thinking that my political career is over... They should understand that the Bahujan movement is not a career, but a fight for self-respect and self-esteem of crores of Dalits, exploited, deprived and poor people."