SP expels MLA Pooja Pal hours after she praised CM Adityanath for action against Atiq Ahmad

The Samajwadi Party on Thursday expelled its MLA Pooja Pal, for alleged anti-party activities, hours after she praised Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath in the assembly for putting gangster-politician Atiq Ahmad to dust.

In a letter issued to the MLA, the party accused Pal of indulging in activities against its interests despite repeated warnings.

A copy of the letter, which was undersigned by SP president Akhilesh Yadav, was also marked to the speaker of the legislative assembly. The letter's copy leaked on social media, with SP sources confirming to PTI the expulsion of the woman lawmaker.


Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak termed the expulsion Samajwadi Party's "anti-women approach".

The letter said that Pal's actions amounted to"serious indiscipline" and that she was being removed from all party posts with immediate effect.

It also stated that Pal, who represents Chail assembly constituency in Kaushambi district, would no longer be allowed to attend any party programme or meeting, nor be invited to any such event.

The expulsion came within hours of Pal's remarks in the ongoing assembly's Monsoon session, where she thanked Adityanath for "ensuring justice" in the murder of her husband, former Bahujan Samaj Party MLA Raju Pal, who was gunned down in 2005 in Prayagraj in an attack linked to Atiq Ahmad.

Deputy CM Pathak said the expulsion of Pooja Pal for "supporting the vision of developed India" in the House on the eve of Independence Day reflects the "ghatia soch (cheap mindset)" of the Samajwadi Party. "The entire House has unanimously accepted that the policy of the Samajwadi Party is anti-women."

Atiq Ahmad, a former MP and multiple-time MLA from Allahabad West, was serving a life sentence in a kidnapping case when he and his brother Ashraf were shot dead at point-blank range by three assailants while being escorted by police for a medical check-up in Prayagraj on April 15, 2023.

The killing took place in full view of the media and was broadcast live.

During a discussion on the 'Vision 2047' document in UP Assembly, Pal said, "I want to thank Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath for seeing my hidden tears that no one noticed for years.

"My grief and pain were acknowledged and justice was delivered," she said.

The MLA said there are many such bereaved families in Prayagraj who have "received justice" under CM Adityanath.

"Countless women have lost their husbands, countless mothers have lost their sons, and I thank the CM who brought in a zero-tolerance policy to wipe out criminals and mafias like Atiq Ahmad," Pal said.

The opposition MLA then thanked the CM for "reducing mafia like Atiq Ahmad to dust".