Mayawati expels Ashok Siddharth from BSP for second time over indiscipline
Synopsis
Mayawati has expelled Ashok Siddharth — father-in-law of her own nephew and BSP national convenor Akash Anand — for the second time, declaring he will not be readmitted 'under any circumstances.' Coming a day after she publicly reclaimed sole authority over candidate selection, the double move signals a decisive consolidation of personal control ahead of the UP electoral cycle.
Key Takeaways
BSP chief Mayawati expelled former MP Ashok Siddharth for the second time on 2 August , citing gross indiscipline and anti-party conduct.
Senior leader Randhir Singh Beniwal was also removed with immediate effect .
Ashok Siddharth is the father-in-law of Akash Anand , Mayawati's nephew and BSP national convenor.
Mayawati declared Siddharth will not be readmitted 'under any circumstances in the future.' Rajya Sabha MP Ramji Gautam re-appointed as in-charge for Punjab and other states through upcoming Assembly and Lok Sabha elections.
A day earlier, Mayawati asserted that all candidate selections will be decided by her alone, not by Akash Anand.
Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati on Sunday, 2 August expelled former MP Ashok Siddharth from the party for the second time, citing gross indiscipline and an anti-party stance. The move, announced from Lucknow, also saw senior party leader Randhir Singh Beniwal removed with immediate effect.
Who Is Ashok Siddharth
Ashok Siddharth is the father-in-law of Akash Anand, Mayawati's nephew, whom she had appointed the party's national convenor last year — effectively positioning him as the BSP's second-in-command. The familial connection makes the expulsion a significant internal signal about the party's chain of command.
What Mayawati Said
Posting on X, the BSP supremo detailed the grounds for the action. She noted that Siddharth had been expelled once before for indiscipline — specifically over irregularities in the distribution of party tickets and a failure to coordinate with the BSP Maharashtra state president during state elections. He had been reinstated on the condition that he would not repeat such conduct and would focus only on expanding the party's base in states outside Uttar Pradesh.
Mayawati stated that Siddharth will not be taken back into the party 'under any circumstances in the future'. The finality of the language marks a sharper break than his first expulsion.
Organisational Changes
Rajya Sabha MP Ramji Gautam has been re-appointed as in-charge for Punjab, alongside other states, and will continue in that role through both the upcoming Punjab Assembly elections and the subsequent Lok Sabha general elections. Mayawati also announced a policy that any senior office-bearer or coordinator from Uttar Pradesh currently handling responsibilities in other states will not be assigned any party role within UP.
Power Structure Clarified
The expulsion follows a pointed statement Mayawati made on Saturday, in which she asserted that all candidates for upcoming elections will be finalised by her alone — not by Akash Anand — settling speculation about the BSP's internal power structure and reaffirming her position as the party's undisputed leader.
She also issued a special appeal to party members to stay vigilant against what she called 'mischievous and conspiratorial' elements seeking to derail the BSP's campaign ahead of the Uttar Pradesh government formation drive. The twin actions — expulsion and candidate-selection assertion — suggest Mayawati is tightening her personal grip on the party ahead of a crucial electoral cycle.
Point of View
Mayawati is sending an unambiguous message: proximity to Akash Anand confers no protection. The BSP has historically cycled through such purges before major elections, but the personal dimension here — and the 'never again' finality — suggests deeper factional anxiety. The real question is whether this consolidation strengthens the party's electoral machinery or further narrows its internal talent pool at a moment when UP politics is intensely competitive.
NationPress
2 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Mayawati expel Ashok Siddharth from BSP?
Mayawati expelled Ashok Siddharth for the second time on 2 August over gross indiscipline and an anti-party stance. He had previously been expelled for irregularities in ticket distribution and failure to coordinate with the BSP Maharashtra state president, and was reinstated on condition he would not repeat such conduct.
Who is Ashok Siddharth and what is his connection to Akash Anand?
Ashok Siddharth is a former MP and the father-in-law of Akash Anand, who is Mayawati's nephew and the BSP's national convenor. His expulsion is notable given his close familial ties to the party's second-in-command.
Will Ashok Siddharth be taken back into BSP?
No. Mayawati explicitly stated that Siddharth will not be readmitted into the party 'under any circumstances in the future,' marking a more permanent break than his first expulsion.
What organisational changes did Mayawati announce alongside the expulsion?
Rajya Sabha MP Ramji Gautam was re-appointed as BSP in-charge for Punjab and other states, covering both the upcoming Punjab Assembly elections and the Lok Sabha general elections. Mayawati also announced that senior leaders from Uttar Pradesh handling out-of-state roles will not be given any party position within UP.
What did Mayawati say about candidate selection ahead of upcoming elections?
A day before the expulsion, Mayawati stated that all candidates for upcoming elections will be finalised by her alone, not by Akash Anand. The statement was widely seen as settling speculation about the BSP's internal power structure and reaffirming her sole authority over the party.
