Speculation is rife about Pooja Pal, the expelled Samajwadi Party (SP) MLA from Uttar Pradesh, possibly joining the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). In a recent statement to news agency ANI, Pal addressed these rumors, revealing that her current political ideology aligns with that of the BJP. "Since the day my husband died, I had resolved to fight against the mafia. I will support the party that can end mafia rule. The BJP’s work in this direction resonates with me," she said, adding that the party’s commitment to addressing the issues she has faced is why her thoughts seem to align with theirs.
Pal’s comments come just one day after she sharply criticised SP Chief Akhilesh Yadav in an open letter, raising questions about her expulsion from the party and the alleged double standards within its leadership.
What did Pooja Pal write in letter to SP?
Pooja Pal’s expulsion from the Samajwadi Party followed her praise for Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and her alleged vote in favor of a BJP candidate during the Rajya Sabha elections. In her letter, Pal expressed dismay at being singled out for actions she claimed were not unusual within the party.
"If my vote for a BJP candidate is a crime, then why hasn't Akhilesh Yadav been questioned for doing the same?" Pal wrote, referring to an instance where Yadav and his wife supported BJP nominees during elections in Delhi's Constitutional Club.
The expelled MLA’s tone was sharp, questioning whether it was “arrogance” that led to her punishment, while Yadav and his family were exempted. “Why is it a crime when I did the same? Is it only because I am a widow from an extremely backward community?” she added.
Allegations of bias within SP
Pal accused the Samajwadi Party of discriminatory practices, alleging that Dalits, OBCs, and EBCs are treated as "second-class citizens" within the party. According to Pal, Muslims, even those with criminal backgrounds, are elevated in the party hierarchy. She recalled how she had joined the SP with faith in Yadav’s promise to seek justice for her husband’s murder, only to be disillusioned when the party allegedly sided with the killers. "In SP, the first priority is to respect and strengthen criminals if they happen to be Muslim," Pal asserted.
While criticising the Samajwadi Party’s alleged protection of criminals, Pal praised the BJP’s commitment to law and order, particularly under Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. "Under BJP, my husband's killers were brought to justice, unlike under SP," she said.
Pal recalled her husband’s murder, describing it as an act of vengeance for his electoral success. She alleged that gangster-politician Atiq Ahmed, who was involved in her husband’s murder, was shielded by Samajwadi Party leaders. "Even in death, I was denied my husband's body for a proper last rite by the SP government at that time," Pal said.
The expelled MLA also claimed that she had faced constant threats, both physical and online, since her expulsion from the Samajwadi Party. In a chilling remark, Pal said that if anything were to happen to her, the responsibility should fall squarely on the shoulders of Akhilesh Yadav and the Samajwadi Party. "If I am killed, the responsibility should be placed on the SP and Akhilesh Yadav," she warned.
