Mayawati Accuses Ex-Aide Akash Anand of Spreading Health Rumours Amid Family Rifts

Bahujan Samaj Party president Mayawati hit out at her nephew and former national convener Akash Anand, accusing him of spreading false rumors concerning her health. Addressing a press conference in Lucknow, the four-time Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister stated that expelled functionaries were propagating falsehoods to suggest she was incapacitated and communicating major decisions exclusively via social media.

To dispel doubts about her well-being, Mayawati appeared before reporters, asserting that she remains fully engaged in daily party administration. She detailed an incident from the previous night as evidence of coordinated propaganda within party ranks.

Mayawati cited a telephone call made to her Lucknow office at around 10 pm on Saturday by Akash Anand, during which he asked party in-charge Alok Kumar about her health status. According to the BSP chief, Alok Kumar informed him that she was fine and actively occupied with organizational duties, after which Anand abruptly disconnected the call.

Mayawati stated that Akash instructed the office-in-charge not to inform her of the conversation. Questioning his motives, she raised doubts about whether his inquiry was genuine and claimed that he was acting on the advice of his father-in-law, Ashok Siddharth, rather than exercising independent judgment.

The public rebuke follows a series of high-level expulsions and organizational restructuring within the party. Akash Anand had previously served as the BSP national convener until Mayawati relieved him of all responsibilities. She subsequently removed him from the party entirely, stating that he was strongly attached to Ashok Siddharth.

Siddharth has since announced his retirement from active politics, a move Mayawati had demanded as a precondition for any political reconciliation. Furthermore, Mayawati reiterated that Akash Anand, his younger brother Ishan Anand, and future family generations will be barred from holding official party posts.

The dispute coincides with major structural changes implemented following the all-India BSP meeting in Lucknow. Under a newly established three-sector framework, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand form the first sector, which Mayawati oversees directly.

Ishan Anand had earlier been appointed chief central sector in-charge, but Mayawati announced that this specific post has now been abolished. Instead, Anand Kumar, serving as national vice president, will assume responsibility for the role, with central sector in-charges required to report to him at regular intervals.