Akhilesh Yadav Ousts Pooja Pal From Samajwadi Party Hours After Praise For CM Yogi

The Samajwadi Party expelled MLA Pooja Pal after she praised CM Yogi Adityanath's actions against Atiq Ahmed, who was accused of her husband's murder.

The Samajwadi Party on Wednesday expelled Prayagraj MLA Pooja Pal, hours after she commended Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath in the state assembly. Party president Akhilesh Yadav signed the expulsion order, accusing Pal of persistently engaging in actions detrimental to the party and disregarding earlier warnings, as per reports.

Pal sparked a political storm earlier in the day by expressing gratitude to CM Adityanath for his “zero-tolerance” stance against mafia-turned-politician Atiq Ahmed, a key accused in the 2005 killing of her husband, former BSP MLA Raju Pal. The SP members viewed her remarks as aligning with the ruling BJP’s narrative and reportedly were the tipping point leading to her removal.

Pooja Pal Praises Yogi

Prayagraj MLA Pooja Pal told the Assembly, as per ANI, "... Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath gave justice to many women like me by bringing in policies such as zero tolerance that led to the killing of criminals like Atiq Ahmed..."

 

Earlier, Pooja Pal alleged that everyone knew who had murdered her husband and expressed her gratitude to the Chief Minister for delivering justice and listening to her when no one else did. She said the CM had provided justice to many other women in Prayagraj through policies like zero tolerance, which led to the elimination of criminals such as Atiq Ahmed. She added that the entire state now looked at the CM with trust, noting that when she saw no one willing to stand against criminals like Atiq Ahmed, she raised her voice, and when she began to feel exhausted in her fight, CM Yogi Adityanath ensured she received justice