In a dramatic turn of events, Chail MLA Pooja Pal, recently ousted from the Samajwadi Party (SP) for alleged anti-party activities, has declared she will not join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) "as of now." The three-time MLA, who met Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on August 16, 2025, at his official residence in Lucknow, emphasized that her next political move will be guided by ideology and consultations with her Pal community.

Pal, speaking to reporters on August 17, clarified her allegiance to the SP under Akhilesh Yadav’s leadership, distancing herself from the era of Mulayam Singh Yadav. "I was associated with the Samajwadi Party of Akhilesh Yadav, who kept the mafia at bay during his 2012-2017 tenure," she told PTI. She criticized the SP for questioning the 2023 encounter of Asad Ahmed, son of gangster-turned-politician Atiq Ahmed, who was linked to the 2005 murder of her husband, Raju Pal, a former BSP MLA from Prayagraj West.

The Chail MLA’s expulsion from the SP came hours after her impassioned speech during a 24-hour ‘Vision 2047’ discussion in the UP Assembly’s monsoon session. Praising Adityanath’s anti-crime policies, Pal said, "The chief minister has reduced my husband’s murderer, Atiq Ahmed, to dust. He saw my hidden tears, which no one saw for years." Her remarks, seen as aligning with the BJP’s stance, triggered her ouster from the SP on August 14, 2025.

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In a candid X post on August 17, Pal detailed a conspiracy to derail her political career. She accused Atiq Ahmed and her maternal relatives of plotting against her after her 2017 election loss, exploiting her inability to pursue justice for her husband’s murder. "My own family members were involved," she wrote, revealing that after Atiq’s murder in April 2023—when he and his brother Ashraf were shot dead by assailants during a police-escorted medical check-up in Prayagraj—her brothers urged her to remarry. However, she soon uncovered their intent to close cases against Atiq. Pal also disclosed she has applied for a divorce, signaling her resolve to fight on.

"The people of Prayagraj West and Chail know my sorrows and still support me," Pal asserted, accusing some SP leaders of tarnishing her image out of fear of her public backing. She reiterated that any future political alignment would be based on ideology, stating, "If I join any party, it will be based on ‘vichaar’ (ideology), and your vichaar should be clear."

Both Pal and the Chief Minister’s office shared details of their August 16 meeting on X. "Honourable MLA of Chail, Pooja Pal, made a courtesy visit to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath in Lucknow today," read a post from Adityanath’s office. Pal echoed this, thanking Adityanath for showing "goons and mafias their rightful place," essential for a progressive society.

As Pal navigates her political future, her defiance and refusal to immediately join the BJP keep Uttar Pradesh’s political circles abuzz. Her next steps, she insists, will reflect the will of her community and her unwavering commitment to justice.

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