Lucknow, Aug 14 (NationPress) The Uttar Pradesh BJP expressed its support for Samajwadi Party (SP) MLA Pooja Pal after she praised Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath for his zero-tolerance stance on crime and the mafia. This statement came on the same day that Pal was expelled by SP chief Akhilesh Yadav due to alleged 'anti-party' actions.

During a lengthy discussion on 'Vision Document 2047' in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly, Pooja Pal, whose husband, former BSP MLA Raju Pal, was murdered by gangster-turned-politician Atiq Ahmed, commended the Chief Minister for delivering justice in her husband's case. She attributed her sense of closure to Adityanath's firm approach against crime, which she said had addressed a sorrow that had gone unnoticed for years.

Pal highlighted that numerous families in Prayagraj had suffered similar losses but had finally found justice due to the Yogi government's stringent measures. She noted that Atiq Ahmed, the perpetrator of her husband's murder, had been significantly impacted by the state's zero-tolerance policy on crime.

SP National President Akhilesh Yadav announced her expulsion on Thursday, stating, “Your actions are anti-party and constitute serious indiscipline. You are expelled from the Samajwadi Party immediately, and you are also removed from all other party positions, prohibiting you from participating in any meetings or programs.”

In his letter dated August 14, directed towards MLA Pooja Pal, Yadav expressed that she had engaged in anti-party actions and, despite prior warnings, did not cease these actions, which caused significant harm to the party.

Speaking to IANS, Minister Anil Rajbhar remarked, "She should always speak the truth. Today revealed the true essence of the Samajwadi Party. Those who rally behind the 'PDA' slogan did not allow a daughter from a marginalized community, who is both a woman and a widow, to voice her opinion. The entire state should hear what Pooja Pal articulated in the Assembly today."

Minister Sanjay Nishad added, "What lies in one's heart eventually surfaces; this is indeed true. I express my gratitude to her for this."

Minister Swatantra Dev Singh stated in an interview with IANS that the Yogi government guarantees the rule of law in the state and ensures that offenders face consequences.

"Pooja Pal, who suffered the loss of her husband, endured pain for many years. Under CM Yogi's guidance, she feels she has finally received justice. There is a commitment to the rule of law, with no discrimination, and the guilty are held accountable under the Yogi administration," he asserted.

BJP MLA Sidharth Nath Singh also endorsed her remarks, stating to IANS, "What she has said is accurate, and there should be no objections. The CM has significantly enhanced law and order over the past eight years."

Conversely, the Samajwadi Party distanced itself from Pal's endorsement and criticized the state government for what it termed the deterioration of law and order in Uttar Pradesh.

SP MLA Pallavi Patel commented to IANS, "The ministers of this government are overly confident regarding law and order in the state. One can traverse various regions and witness how miscreants, aided by the government, are destroying it. Each member, when speaking in this House, is free to present their ideology and ideas as they see fit."

Raju Pal, who was then serving as a BSP MLA, was assassinated shortly after defeating Ashraf Ahmed, Atiq's brother, in a bye-election in the Allahabad West constituency.

Years later, on April 15, 2023, both Atiq and Ashraf were killed when three assailants, masquerading as journalists, shot them at close range outside Colvin Hospital in Prayagraj while they were speaking to the media.