Rift in Samajwadi Party? MLA Pooja Pal expelled for praising CM Yogi Adityanath; party cites ‘indiscipline’

NEW DELHI: The Samajwadi Party on Thursday expelled party MLA Pooja Pal for "indulging in anti-party activities and displaying indiscipline."

The expulsion follows Pooja Pal heaping praises on chief minister Yogi Adityanath for his government's "zero-tolerance policy" towards crime.



A letter released by the party and addressed to Pooja Pal stated: "Your anti-party activities have been noted, and despite repeated cautions, you continued these actions, causing considerable damage to the party."

"The actions carried out by you are anti-party in nature and constitute serious indiscipline. You are hereby expelled from the Samajwadi Party with immediate effect and removed from all party positions. You will no longer be allowed to participate in any party events or meetings, nor will you be invited to them," the letter read.

Earlier in the day, Pooja Pal lauded the UP CM, saying he delivered justice through policies like zero tolerance, which ultimately led to the elimination of criminals such as Atiq Ahmed.

"Everyone knows who murdered my husband (Raju Pal). I want to thank the Chief Minister for bringing me justice and hearing me when nobody else did. The CM gave justice to many other women like me in Prayagraj by implementing policies like zero tolerance, which led to the elimination of criminals like Atiq Ahmed. Today, the entire state looks at the CM with trust," she said.

"I raised my voice when I saw that no one wanted to fight against criminals like Atiq Ahmed. When I started getting exhausted with this fight, CM Yogi Adityanath gave me justice."

BSP MLA Raju Pal was shot dead in Prayagraj in 2005, just days after marrying Pooja Pal.

In a chilling continuation of violence, Umesh Pal, a key witness in the murder case, was killed in February 2023 in Prayagraj's Sulem Saray area, where assailants fired multiple rounds and hurled bombs at him and his security team.

The prime accused in the case, Atiq Ahmad and his brother Ashraf Ahmad, have been arrested by the police.

However, on the night of April 15, 2023, they were shot dead in Prayagraj by men posing as press personnel while being taken for a medical examination.

(With agency inputs)


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