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Deccan Herald
2 hours ago
- Politics
- Deccan Herald
Samajwadi Party expels MLA Pooja Pal for 'indiscipline' after praising UP CM Yogi Adityanath
#WATCH | Lucknow, UP | Addressing during the 24-hour marathon discussion on 'Vision Document 2047' in the UP Assembly, Samajwadi Party MLA Pooja Pal says, "... Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath gave justice to many women like me by bringing in policies such as zero tolerance that…
India.com
5 hours ago
- Politics
- India.com
Hours after her appreciation speech for CM Adityanath, Samajwadi MLA Pooja expelled from party
Hours after her appreciation speech for CM Adityanath, Samajwadi MLA Pooja expelled from party Samajwadi Party President Akhilesh Yadav on Thursday expelled MLA Pooja Pal from the party after she praised CM Yogi Adityanath in the Assembly. She had thanked Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath for 'delivering justice' in her husband's murder case and praised him for bringing in policies with zero tolerance against criminals. What did Pooja Pal say? Speaking in the Uttar Pradesh assembly during a 24-hour marathon discussion on 'Vision Document 2047' on Thursday morning, Pooja Pal, the wife of Former Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) MLA Raju Pal, said, 'Everyone knows who murdered my husband (Raju). I want to thank the Chief Minister for bringing me justice and hearing me when nobody else did.' She added, 'The Chief Minister gave justice to many other women like me in Prayagraj by bringing in policies like zero tolerance that led to the killing of criminals like Atiq Ahmed. Today, the entire state looks at him with trust.' Hours after her appreciation speech, the MLA was expelled from the party. In his statement in Hindi, Akhilesh Yadav said: 'She (Pooja) is no longer permitted to participate in any party programs and will not be invited to them in the future.' How Pooja responded? '…Perhaps you could not hear the women in Prayagraj who were even more worried than me. But I am their voice, I have been elected as an MLA and sent to the Assembly. I am the voice of mothers and sisters who have lost their loved ones. They have sent me here. All people in Prayagraj who were disturbed due to Atiq Ahmed have been given justice by the CM, not just to Pooja Pal. I have been saying this from day 1, even when I was in the party. I have been expelled only today. I stand by my statement even today.' 'I became an MLA later but I am a victim woman first, a wife first…We could not stand the incident that occurred with us…They speak of PDA. I too belong to a backward community, I was troubled, I stepped out of my house because my husband was killed in broad day light, I was a newly-wed bride and there was nobody at my home…They have proven that they are completely against PDA.' How was Raju Pal killed? Former Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) MLA Raju Pal death which was a result of political rivalry with gangster Atiq Ahmed's brother Ashraf, whom Raju had defeated in the 2004 bypoll to the Prayagraj West seat. In February 2023, Umesh Pal, a key witness in the murder case, was shot dead in Prayagraj's Sulem Saray area. Days later, Atiq and Ashraf – both of whom were arrested – were shot dead by three men when they were being taken for a medical check-up in Prayagraj.
News18
5 hours ago
- Politics
- News18
Widow At 25 After Just 9 Days Of Marriage: Tragic Story Of Expelled Samajwadi Party MLA Pooja Pal
Last Updated: Pal was expelled for 'anti-party activities and indiscipline' after praising CM Yogi Adityanath for ensuring justice for her and her slain husband The Samajwadi Party on Thursday expelled its MLA Pooja Pal for 'anti-party activities and indiscipline", just a day after she publicly praised Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath for his zero-tolerance policy on crime. The move, announced in a statement signed by SP chief Akhilesh Yadav, accused Pal of repeatedly indulging in actions that 'caused great damage to the party" despite prior warnings. Pal's expulsion comes in the wake of a dramatic moment in the ongoing Monsoon Session, when during its 18th hour of debate she stunned the Assembly by thanking the chief minister for 'burying her husband's killer into the ground"—a reference to mafia-politician Atiq Ahmed, accused of masterminding the 2005 murder of her husband, BSP legislator Raju Pal. 'Everyone knows how my husband was killed and who did it," she told the House. 'I want to thank the chief minister, who listened to me when no one else did. He gave justice to many women like me in Prayagraj and punished the criminals. Today, the entire state looks at the chief minister with confidence." Switching briefly to Hindi, she added: 'Mere pati ke hatyare Atiq Ahmed ko mukhya mantri ne mitti mein milaane ka kaam kiya." The rare praise came as part of the marathon discussion on the state's 'Vision Document 2047." Pooja Pal credited the CM's 'zero-tolerance" policy against organised crime for delivering justice in the murder case of her husband who was gunned down in broad daylight in 2005, allegedly by the gang of mafia-politician Atiq Ahmed. Who is Pooja Pal? Pooja Pal's journey to this moment began in the modest Katghar locality of Prayagraj. Born into a poor family, her father earned a living repairing punctured tyres. To help support the household, Pooja took on small jobs alongside her studies—working in offices, hospitals, and even cleaning homes. It was while working at a hospital that she met Raju Pal, a rising figure in the Bahujan Samaj Party. Their friendship grew into love, and on January 16, 2005, the couple married. A Marriage Cut Short by Violence Just nine days later, tragedy struck. On January 25, 2005, gunmen linked to Atiq Ahmed ambushed Raju Pal's convoy in broad daylight, killing him and two associates. The killing was widely seen as political retribution for Raju's recent electoral victory over Ashraf Ahmed, Atiq's brother, in the Allahabad West Assembly constituency. At just 25, Pooja was widowed and her life turned into a battle for justice. She refused to bow to intimidation from the Ahmed gang and vowed to carry forward her husband's political legacy. Pooja's Entry into Politics When the by-election to Raju's seat was announced, BSP chief and then CM Mayawati personally handed Pooja the party ticket. She lost the bypoll, but her political journey had begun. In the 2007 assembly elections, Pooja again contested from Allahabad West and won, repeating her victory in 2012. However, she lost the 2017 contest to BJP's Siddharth Nath Singh. Soon after, Pooja left the BSP and joined the Samajwadi Party, where Akhilesh Yadav offered her a ticket from Chail in Kaushambi district. She won the seat in 2022, marking her return to the Assembly. Pooja's 20-Year-Old Fight With Atiq Ahmed Through her political career, Pooja's fight against Atiq Ahmed remained central to her identity. Ahmed—a five-time MLA and former Lok Sabha MP—had over 100 criminal cases to his name, ranging from murder to extortion. For years, Pooja accused successive governments of shielding him. That changed under Yogi Adityanath's tenure, as the UP government launched a high-profile crackdown on organised crime. Properties linked to mafia figures were demolished, assets seized, and key gang members arrested or neutralised. The End of the Ahmed Brothers The most dramatic chapter came in April 2023. On April 13, Atiq's son Asad, wanted in the murder of advocate Umesh Pal, was killed in a police encounter in Jhansi. Two days later, Atiq and Ashraf were shot dead in Prayagraj while under police escort for a medical check-up at Colvin Hospital. At 10.36pm on April 15, as the brothers spoke to the media, three assailants posing as journalists opened fire at point-blank range. One attacker pulled off Atiq's turban before shooting him in the head. About 20 bullets were fired, killing both on the spot. The shooters—Lavlesh Tiwari (22), Mohit alias Sunny (23), and Arun Maurya (18)—were overpowered and arrested immediately. For Pooja, the killings marked a symbolic end to her two-decade fight. Political Ripples Her warm praise for Yogi Adityanath in the Assembly—a rare gesture across the bitter SP–BJP divide—immediately triggered speculation about her political future. While Pooja has insisted her gratitude was personal and born out of justice served, party insiders viewed it as a breach of discipline. With her expulsion now official, political observers are watching closely for her next move, especially in eastern Uttar Pradesh, where her story still carries emotional weight among voters. Click here to add News18 as your preferred news source on Google. Get Latest Updates on Movies, Breaking News On India, World, Live Cricket Scores, And Stock Market Updates. Also Download the News18 App to stay updated! tags : Atiq Ahmed BJP BSP Pooja Pal Raju Pal samajwadi party Yogi Adityanath view comments Location : Lucknow, India, India First Published: August 14, 2025, 16:45 IST News politics Widow At 25 After Just 9 Days Of Marriage: Tragic Story Of Expelled Samajwadi Party MLA Pooja Pal Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
India Today
6 hours ago
- Politics
- India Today
Akhilesh Yadav expels Samajwadi MLA hours after her praise for Yogi Adityanath
Hours after publicly praising Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath for his 'zero-tolerance' policies that, she claimed, helped deliver justice to women like her, Samajwadi Party MLA Pooja Pal was expelled from the party for alleged anti-party Pal lauded the Chief Minister in the assembly, saying his policies in Prayagraj ensured justice for women and that he acted against criminals like Atiq Ahmed, who she accused of killing her husband. 'I want to thank the Chief Minister for giving me justice when no one else listened,' she said.#WATCH | Lucknow, UP | Addressing during the 24-hour marathon discussion on 'Vision Document 2047' in the UP Assembly, Samajwadi Party MLA Pooja Pal says, "... Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath gave justice to many women like me by bringing in policies such as zero tolerance that ANI (@ANI) August 14, 2025advertisementHowever, within hours, the party took strict action. An official expulsion letter, signed by SP National President Akhilesh Yadav and dated 14 August 2025, cited her 'anti-party activities' and 'serious indiscipline' as reasons for her removal. The letter stated that despite prior warnings, Pooja Pal did not cease her activities, causing 'considerable harm to the party.' It also clarified that she is removed from all party positions and will no longer be invited to any SP programs or her expulsion, Pooja Pal said, 'Perhaps you could not hear the women in Prayagraj who were even more worried than me. But I am their voice.' She added that she had been elected to speak for mothers and sisters who lost loved ones and that the Chief Minister had delivered justice to all affected by Atiq Ahmed, not just her.#WATCH | Expelled SP MLA Pooja Pal says, "...Perhaps you could not hear the women in Prayagraj who were even more worried than me. But I am their voice, I have been elected as an MLA and sent to the Assembly. I am the voice of mothers and sisters who have lost their loved ones. ANI (@ANI) August 14, 2025"I have been saying this from day one, even when I was in the party. I stand by my statement even today. I became an MLA later, but I was first a victim woman, a wife We could not stand the incident that occurred to us. They speak of PDA. I, too, belong to a backward community; I was troubled. I stepped out of my house after my husband was killed in broad daylight. I was a newlywed bride, and there was nobody at home. They have proven they are completely against public display of affection (PDA).'Her remarks triggered sharp reactions within the Samajwadi Whip Kamaal Akhtar described her statement as a personal matter, adding that if she disagreed with the party, she should not have remained in Minister JPS Rathore lauded the Chief Minister's actions, saying Pooja Pal's grievances were addressed after years of suffering due to crimes by Atiq Ahmed.- Ends IN THIS STORY#Uttar Pradesh
India.com
6 hours ago
- Politics
- India.com
Samajwadi Party Expels MLA Pooja Pal After She Heaped Praise On CM Yogi In UP Assembly
Samajwadi Party expelled MLA Pooja Pal for "anti-party activities" and indiscipline after she praised Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath for zero-tolerance policy against crime that improved law and order in the state. The former SP MLA's husband Raju Pal was shot dead by Atiq Ahmed and his associate. Addressing during the 24-hour marathon discussion on 'Vision Document 2047' in the UP Assembly, she said that the UP CM gave her justice by bringing in policies like zero tolerance that led to the killing of criminals like Atiq Ahmed. Uttar Pradesh | Samajwadi Party expels its MLA Pooja Pal for anti-party activities and indiscipline. — ANI (@ANI) August 14, 2025 "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 bringing in policies like zero tolerance that led to the killing of criminals like Atiq Ahmed. Today, the entire state looks at the CM with trust," she said. "The Chief Minister has buried my husband's murderer Atiq Ahmed. 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," she added. #WATCH | Lucknow, UP | Addressing during the 24-hour marathon discussion on 'Vision Document 2047' in the UP Assembly, Samajwadi Party MLA Pooja Pal says, "... Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath gave justice to many women like me by bringing in policies such as zero tolerance that… — ANI (@ANI) August 14, 2025 Raju Pal Murder Case BSP MLA Raju Pal was shot dead in Prayagraj in 2005, days after his wedding with Pooja Pal. In February 2023, Umesh Pal, a key witness to the murder, was shot dead in Prayagraj's Sulem Saray area. Several rounds were fired, and bombs were hurled at Umesh and his gunners. Atiq Ahmad and his brother Ashraf Ahmad were the prime accused and were arrested by the police. On April 15, 2023, they were shot dead by men posing as press persons on the night of April 15 while being taken for a medical examination in Prayagraj.
