Mayawati accuses expelled aide Akash Anand of spreading health rumours

Mayawati has accused expelled Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) leader Akash Anand of deliberately spreading false rumours about her health, marking the latest escalation in their ongoing dispute. Speaking in Lucknow, the BSP supremo alleged that Anand had called her personal secretary to inquire whether she was unwell, a move she characterised as part of a deliberate campaign to circulate unfounded claims about her condition.

The accusation comes amid heightened tensions between Mayawati and Anand, who was previously seen as a close associate within the party hierarchy. The nature of Anand's expulsion and the circumstances surrounding their falling out have been matters of public controversy, with both sides making contrasting statements about their relationship and party matters.

Mayawati's assertion suggests that Anand's alleged inquiry about her health was intended to fuel speculation and misinformation rather than express genuine concern. The BSP chief's public statement appears designed to preempt any narrative that might emerge from such inquiries and to establish her version of events.

The incident underscores ongoing factional tensions within the BSP, one of India's major political parties in the Hindi heartland. Such internal disputes have periodically affected the party's functioning and public perception in recent years.