Mayawati expels Ashok Siddharth from BSP again, cites indiscipline
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Lucknow: Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati on Sunday expelled former MP Ashok Siddharth from the party for the second time, citing indiscipline and an anti-party stance.
Ashok Siddharth is the father-in-law of Akash Anand, Mayawati's nephew, whom she appointed as the party's national convenor last year, effectively making him the BSP's second-in-command.
Senior party leader Randhir Singh Beniwal has also been expelled from the BSP with immediate effect.
In a post on X, Mayawati said the party had taken stern action against the two leaders for "gross indiscipline" and violating party guidelines.
Mayawati said Ashok Siddharth had previously been expelled for indiscipline and for violating party guidelines, particularly over the distribution of party tickets and his failure to properly coordinate with the BSP Maharashtra state president during state elections.
She said he was later reinstated on the condition that he would not repeat such mistakes and would be assigned the responsibility of expanding the party's support base only in states outside Uttar Pradesh, and not in the state.
Mayawati also made it clear that Ashok Siddharth would not be taken back into the party "under any circumstances in the future".
Meanwhile, Rajya Sabha MP Ramji Gautam has been reappointed as the BSP's in-charge for Punjab, along with other states, and will continue to oversee the party's affairs through the upcoming Punjab Assembly elections and the subsequent Lok Sabha general elections.
Mayawati further said it was the current policy decision of the BSP leadership that any senior party office-bearer or coordinator from Uttar Pradesh who is currently handling responsibilities in states outside the state would not be assigned any party role in Uttar Pradesh.
She also made a special appeal to BSP members to remain vigilant against "mischievous and conspiratorial" elements attempting to derail or harm the party's campaign, which is being driven by a firm resolve to form a BSP government in Uttar Pradesh.
A day earlier, Mayawati had issued a stern message stating that she, and not her nephew Akash Anand, would finalise all candidates for the upcoming elections. The statement put to rest speculation over the party's power structure and reinforced her position as the undisputed leader of the BSP.
With IANS inputs