Ishan Anand to get 'respectable role' in BSP, Mayawati rules out Akash's return

BSP supremo Mayawati on Sunday said her younger brother Anand Kumar's son Ishan Anand would be given a "respectable role" in the party, while ruling out any change in her decision to keep his siblings Akash Anand and Deepika away from organisational responsibilities.

The announcement comes about a week after Mayawati had said that neither of Anand Kumar's sons, Akash and Ishan, would be allowed to hold any post in the Bahujan Samaj Party, amid an ongoing family dispute that has seen repeated changes in the political roles of her relatives.

In a post on X, Mayawati said Akash, the party's former chief national coordinator, and Deepika would be kept "completely away" from any responsibility in the BSP.

"In the interest of the party, it would be appropriate to keep Akash Anand and his sister (Deepika) completely away from giving any responsibility in the party. There will be no change in this decision," she said.

"Now, in place of both of them, only Ishan Anand from Anand Kumar's family will be given a respectable role in the party and taken forward," she added.

Mayawati warned that Ishan too would face expulsion if he committed any "serious anti-party act". In that event, she said, no other member of Anand Kumar's family would be given any responsibility, big or small, in the party.

On Akash, Mayawati said his conduct and activities after marriage had led to his being separated from the party again.

She also alleged that Akash was "completely caught in the web" of his father-in-law Ashok Siddharth and said bringing him back into the party would amount to a "very big betrayal" of the BSP.

Mayawati said she had been in a dilemma over whom from Anand Kumar's family should be given a role in the party and had taken the latest decision after considering the issue from "every aspect".

She also said she had decided against seeking Deepika's help in future after her marriage, expressing concern that her case could turn out to be similar to Akash's.

On September 12, Mayawati had described her decision as her "final decision and pledge", saying neither Akash nor Ishan would be given any political post in the BSP. At the time, she had said Anand Kumar could seek assistance from his daughter Deepika, who is studying law.

Mayawati also invoked BSP founder Kanshi Ram, saying he had kept his close relatives away from political benefits after entering politics and that she too had decided to follow his example.

On September 10, Mayawati had announced that Akash, who is married to a daughter of former Rajya Sabha member Ashok Siddharth, had been completely relieved of his responsibilities in the BSP. She had earlier removed Siddharth from the party.

Mayawati's younger brother Anand Kumar is the BSP's national vice-president. She had first appointed him to the post in 2017 while saying he would not become an MP, MLA, minister or chief minister.

She had also said then that Anand Kumar would not hand over his responsibilities to either of his sons or their children in the future.