Ashok Siddharth apologises for past 'mistakes', Mayawati revokes expulsion from BSP

Lucknow, Sep 6 (PTI) Former BSP MP Ashok Siddharth, who was expelled from the party, apologised to party chief Mayawati in a social media post on Saturday, saying he deeply regrets making "mistakes", some of them under the "influence of wrong people".

Following Ashok Siddharth's apology, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo Mayawati announced that the party has revoked his expulsion.

Mayawati said in a post on X that due to his public apology, he will be given another "opportunity in the interest of the party and the movement".

Ashok Siddharth, the father-in-law of Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) national coordinator and Mayawati's nephew Akash Anand, wrote that he "bows down at the feet of Behenji", asserting that he will never work outside party discipline and take "undue advantage" of kinship or personal relations.

"I will never make a mistake in future," he said on a post on X, appealing to the BSP chief to allow him to return to the party.

Ashok Siddharth, a former MP of the party, was once counted among the prominent leaders of BSP. But on January 12, 2025, Mayawati expelled Ashok Siddharth from the party.

On Saturday, Ashok Siddharth publicly apologised and said he made some mistakes while he was a party leader, which he deeply regrets. He further wrote that he "bows down at the feet of Behenji and apologises".

"For whatever mistakes I have committed knowingly or unknowingly and under the influence of wrong people, I apologise to respected behenji (Mayawati) with folded hands." "She (Mayawati) has dedicated her entire life to the welfare of crores of Dalits and other neglected sections of this country, by facing many hardships. I request respected Behenji with folded hands to forgive me. I will never make such a mistake in future." The former MP assured that in future he will never work outside the party discipline and that he will do active politics only under the guidance and directions of Mayawati.

He added that if Behanji forgives him and gives him another opportunity, "it will be the biggest favour to him".

In post on X , Mayawati on Saturday said, "Although he had realised his mistake much earlier and was continuously repenting at various levels, he has publicly expressed his remorse today.

"Taking this into consideration, it was deemed appropriate to give him an opportunity in the interest of the party and the movement, and therefore, the decision to expel him from the BSP is hereby revoked with immediate effect. This means he has been taken back into the party." She added that she hopes Ashok Siddharth, like all other party workers, will give full support to the party and the movement, so that the BSP can continue to advance in B R Ambedkar's mission in elevating the "exploited Bahujan community to the ruling class in the state and the country".

Earlier on August 29, Mayawati promoted her nephew Akash Anand and appointed him as the BSP's national convener, which is said to be the second in hierarchy to that of the national president.

On March 2, Mayawati expelled Akash from all party posts and appointed his father, Anand Kumar, as national coordinator in his place.

On April 13, Akash issued a public apology and asserted that he considered Mayawati her only political guru. He expressed his desire to return to the party fold.

Akash was then allowed back into the party, and on May 19, Mayawati appointed him as the party's chief national coordinator. PTI ZIR/NAV CDN SKY SKY