Pooja Pal lauds Yogi Adityanath, SP expels her for anti-party activities

Pooja Pal praised UP CM Yogi Adityanath’s zero-tolerance approach on crime, citing justice in her husband’s murder case. Samajwadi Party expelled her for anti-party activities, sparking political debate over law, order, and accountability in Uttar Pradesh

Lucknow: The Samajwadi Party (SP) on Thursday expelled party MLA Pooja Pal for praising Uttar Pradesh (UP) Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath in the Assembly for his “zero-tolerance policy” against mafia and crime.

SP National President Akhilesh Yadav issued an expulsion order to her saying, “The work done by you is anti-party and serious indiscipline. Therefore, you are expelled from the Samajwadi Party with immediate effect. Along with this, you are also removed from all other posts of Samajwadi Party and now you will not participate in any programme/meeting.”

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The SP chief, in his letter dated August 14 addressed to MLA Pooja Pal, said, “You have been involved in anti-party activities and despite a warning, you did not stop these activities, due to which the party suffered a lot.”

Earlier, Pooja Pal lauded CM Adityanath for his “zero-tolerance policy” against mafias, crediting him for “providing justice” in the murder of her husband, former BSP MLA Raju Pal, who was killed by gangster-turned-politician Atiq Ahmed.

Speaking during the 24-hour marathon discussion on the ‘Vision Document 2047’ in the Assembly, Pooja Pal expressed her gratitude to the Chief Minister for addressing a pain that, she said, “no one bothered to see for years.”

“I wish to draw your attention to my situation. I have lost my husband, who was a Member of this House. This fact is no secret; everyone in this House knows how he was murdered and by whom. I want to express my gratitude to the Chief Minister, who saw my pain that no one bothered to see for years. The Chief Minister saw my grief and suffering and, in the truest sense, worked to ensure that I received justice,” she said.

Pal said that countless families in Prayagraj had suffered like her and had received justice because of the Chief Minister’s tough stance on crime. “Who knows how many women, like me, had their ‘sindoor’ wiped away and how many mothers lost their sons. I would like to thank the Chief Minister who brought crime and gangsters like Atiq Ahmed to justice through his zero-tolerance policy,” she added.

She said that Atiq Ahmed, her husband’s killer, had been “brought to the ground” by the Yogi government’s zero tolerance against crime. “Today, not only Prayagraj, but the entire Uttar Pradesh looks at the Chief Minister with hope. People know that if any criminal or gangster harms any mother, sister, or brother, they will have to face stringent action,” she said.