In a major shake-up within the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), chief Mayawati on Sunday (March 2) removed her nephew Akash Anand from the position of national coordinator, appointing his father Anand Kumar and senior party leader Ramji Gautam in his place.

This marks the second time Akash has been ousted from the role.

Initially appointed in 2019, he was first removed on May 7 last year amid the Lok Sabha elections after being booked for "promoting enmity" following a speech in Sitapur. However, he was reinstated weeks later on June 23.

This time, Mayawati cited his ties with expelled BSP leader and former MP Ashok Siddharth—who is also Akash’s father-in-law—as the reason for his removal.

“Siddharth’s daughter is married to him, and we cannot ignore the possibility of his influence on both her and Akash. Therefore, Akash has been relieved of all party responsibilities,” Mayawati stated in a press release.

She blamed Siddharth for causing damage to the party and negatively impacting Akash’s political career.

Reportedly the decision was conveyed to Akash during a party meeting in Delhi on February 17 but was officially announced at a senior leaders’ meeting in Lucknow on Sunday. Notably, Akash was absent from the meeting.

Earlier, on February 12, Mayawati expelled Ashok Siddharth and former BSP central-state coordinator Nitin Singh, accusing them of factionalism and engaging in "anti-party activities."

Reports suggest the decision followed complaints that Siddharth had selectively invited certain leaders to a family wedding in Agra while excluding senior party figures.

While announcing the leadership changes, Mayawati praised Anand Kumar, stating that he had prioritized the party's interests by marrying his children into non-political families.

The leadership overhaul signals Mayawati’s intent to reinforce discipline and loyalty within the BSP ranks as the party gears up for upcoming political challenges.