Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) [India], September 7 : Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati has reinstated former Rajya Sabha MP Ashok Siddharth into the party with immediate effect. The BSP Chief stated that, considering Siddharth's public apology and assurance of loyalty, the party has decided to give him another chance.
In a post on X on Saturday, Mayawati said that Ashok Siddharth was expelled from the party a few months ago for anti-party activities.
"Today, through a lengthy post on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), he has publicly apologised for his mistake and assured the Bahujan Samaj and BSP leadership of his complete loyalty to the party and the movement going forward, pledging to wholeheartedly dedicate himself to advancing the movement of self-respect and dignity led by Baba Saheb Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar. Although he had realised his mistake much earlier and had been continuously expressing remorse at various levels, today he has publicly expressed his regret," Mayawati said.
"Keeping this in mind, in the interest of the party and the movement, it has been deemed appropriate to give him another chance by the party. Therefore, the decision to expel him from the BSP is revoked with immediate effect, meaning he has been reinstated into the party. It is hoped that, like all other workers of the party, big or small, he too will contribute wholeheartedly with his body, mind, and resources to advance the party and the movement, so that under the leadership of the BSP, Baba Saheb Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar's caravan can move forward, uplifting the Bahujan Samaj from the oppressed class to make it the ruling class of this state and country," the former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister posted on X.
https://x.com/Mayawati/status/1964284721275244676
Earlier, in a press release dated March 2, Mayawati had said she is expelling Ashok Siddharth, who is also the father-in-law of Akash Anand, her nephew, for "factionalism."
"Being an honest and loyal disciple and successor of BSP founder Kanshi Ram, I have expelled Ashok Siddharth, who is also the father-in-law of Akash Anand, from the party in the interest of the party. He has done this heinous act of weakening the party by dividing it into two factions in the entire country, including Uttar Pradesh, which is absolutely intolerable, and all this was also seen in the wedding of his son."
However, in August, Mayawati appointed her nephew, Akash Anand, as the party's national convenor, four months after reinducting him into the organisation.
Expressing gratitude to former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati on Friday for appointing him to the post, Akasha Anand said that he will take forward the movement started by BR Ambedkar.