Lucknow: Among the newly appointed UP BJP office-bearers, the elevation of Pooja Pal stands out for its political complexity. A rebel Samajwadi Party MLA, Pal has been named as one of the 19 state vice-presidents of the UP BJP unit.While she has been accommodated in a senior organisational post in the BJP, official records of the UP Assembly continue to list her as an SP MLA from Chail in Kaushambi district.The situation highlights Pal’s gradual shift away from the SP and closer alignment with the BJP over the past two years, even as formalities of her party membership remain unclear.The BJP leadership maintained a stoic silence on her official status. State party chief Pankaj Chaudhary could not be reached for comment. However, a senior BJP functionary said Pal had distanced herself from the SP and had been “working in support of the BJP” for quite some time.“It is for the SP leadership to get her removed from the Vidhan Sabha records,” he said, describing her appointment as a “political induction” even if formal membership procedures are yet to be completed.Sources indicated that the BJP may have consciously chosen to reward Pal’s political support ahead of completing organisational formalities — a flexibility not uncommon in politics when parties seek to attract leaders with local influence and social traction.Pal was reportedly in contention for being inducted into the Yogi Adityanath council of ministers during the recent cabinet expansion, but missed out at the final stage. Her appointment as state vice-president, however, signals the party’s intent to give her a prominent organisational role as part of a strategy to widen the party’s electoral base.A three-time MLA, Pal is the widow of BSP legislator Raju Pal, who was murdered in 2005 in a politically sensitive case allegedly linked to gangster-politician Atiq Ahmad. The case has continued to hold political resonance in Prayagraj and adjoining regions.She was expelled from the Samajwadi Party on Aug 14, 2025, for “breach of discipline”. Pal later claimed she was removed for praising chief minister Yogi Adityanath and calling Atiq Ahmad a “mafia”.SP spokesperson Abdul Hafiz Gandhi said Pal’s actions post-expulsion had no connection with the party. “The Samajwadi Party believes in ideology, discipline and commitment to public service. Those who prioritise personal political interests choose their own path. The party remains committed to its core values of social justice and secularism,” he said.
