The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), once a formidable force in Indian politics, is teetering on the edge of irrelevance, and its latest internal upheaval only deepens the crisis. On March 3, 2025, BSP supremo Mayawati expelled her nephew, Akash Anand, from the party, a day after stripping him of all responsibilities, including his role as national coordinator.

This dramatic move, cloaked in accusations of Akash’s “selfishness" and undue influence from his father-in-law, Ashok Siddharth, underscores Mayawati’s unrelenting grip on the party. Yet, it also raises a troubling question: is her iron-fisted control hastening the BSP’s descent into obscurity?

Akash, once heralded as Mayawati’s political heir, was meant to rejuvenate the BSP, bridging its ageing leadership with a younger, aspirational Dalit electorate. His expulsion marks the end of that promise, leaving the party without a succession plan—by Mayawati’s own decree, there will be no heir as long as she lives. This decision, while reinforcing her authority, exposes a deeper malaise.

The BSP, which rose on the strength of Dalit empowerment under Kanshi Ram, has struggled to adapt to shifting political tides. Its vote share has dwindled, its cadre is disillusioned, and its once-unassailable hold over Uttar Pradesh’s Dalit vote is slipping to rivals like Chandrashekhar Azad.

Mayawati’s justification for Akash’s ouster—his alleged political immaturity and external sway—feels flimsy against the backdrop of her own history of sidelining dissent. The expulsion of Siddharth last month and now Akash suggests a pattern of purging perceived threats, even from within her family. But at what cost?

The BSP’s shrinking........

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