Mayawati dismisses nephew from all posts for second time

In a major shake-up in her party leadership, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati on Sunday removed her nephew Akash Anand from all party posts for the second time in as many years, appointing his father Anand Kumar and Rajya Sabha lawmaker Ramji Gautam as national coordinators in his place.

- Rohit Kumar Singh

LUCKNOW:

In a statement after a BSP meeting in Lucknow, the former Uttar Pradesh chief minister asserted she would not name a successor in her lifetime, adding the party is supreme and relations can come later.

Mayawati said Akash Anand's sacking was due to his association with his father-in-law Ashok Siddharth, who was expelled from the BSP last month on charges of creating factionalism within the party and anti-party activities.

"You are aware that Siddharth's daughter is married to him. We will have to watch how much influence Siddharth will exert on his daughter as well as Akash. In such a situation Akash has been removed from all party responsibilities. Siddharth is completely responsible for this and has damaged the party while ruining Akash's career," the BSP chief said in the statement.

This is the second time in as many years that Mayawati removed Akash, who was BSP national coordinator. He was removed from the post on May 7 last year in the middle of the general elections, only to be reinstated and appointed as Mayawati's political successor weeks later on June 23.