Samajwadi party MLA Pooja Pal campaigns for BJP in Phulpur by-election, deepens rift with SP

Pooja Pal, the Samajwadi Party (SP) MLA from Chail in Kaushambi, has sparked a political controversy by actively campaigning for Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate Deepak Patel in the Phulpur by-election. Pal, who won her Assembly seat in the 2022 Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly elections on an SP ticket, was seen engaging in door-to-door campaigning and distributing pamphlets in Phulpur, urging voters to support Patel. This marks a significant political move, as Phulpur is a crucial constituency for both the Samajwadi Party and the BJP.

This is not the first sign of Pal’s distancing from her party. During the 2022 Rajya Sabha elections, Pal voted against the SP candidate, signaling her divergence from the party's line. She also did not actively campaign for the SP candidate, Amarnath Maurya, in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections in Phulpur, further indicating her distance from the party. Pal’s involvement with the BJP in the Phulpur by-election has now solidified this rift, especially as the SP had fielded Mujtaba Siddiqui as its candidate for the seat.

Pooja Pal’s political career has been shaped by personal tragedy. She is the widow of Raju Pal, the former MLA from Allahabad West, who was assassinated in 2005. Raju Pal had defeated Mohammad Ashraf, the brother of mafia don Atiq Ahmed, in the 2004 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections. Shortly after his victory, Raju Pal was shot dead in broad daylight, with the murder allegedly orchestrated by Ashraf and Atiq Ahmed. In 2007, Pooja Pal contested the Assembly seat and won, defeating Ashraf in a high-profile election. Her victory was widely seen as a major political moment for the region, further establishing her political influence.

The Phulpur constituency, currently at the center of the by-election, has a significant OBC population, including substantial numbers of Kurmi and Yadav voters. In the 2022 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, BJP's Praveen Patel won the Phulpur seat, defeating Mujtaba Siddiqui of the SP by a narrow margin of 2,765 votes. Praveen Patel's victory was part of the BJP’s strategy to consolidate support among OBC voters in the region. Following Praveen Patel’s transition to Member of Parliament, the by-election was triggered, and the BJP has fielded Deepak Patel, a local leader who was previously elected to the Assembly from the Karchana constituency on a BSP ticket. Deepak Patel’s mother, Kesari Devi Patel, also served as an MP from Phulpur, and his family has deep political ties to the region.

The Phulpur by-election is significant not only due to the high stakes involved but also because of the demographic composition of the constituency. The OBC vote has traditionally been a deciding factor, and both the SP and the BJP are focusing heavily on securing this voter base. Pooja Pal’s support for Deepak Patel could have a notable impact on the BJP’s chances in the election, especially given her own strong political influence in the region. However, it remains unclear how her campaign for Patel will influence voter behavior, as the region has a history of close electoral contests between the SP and the BJP.