Pooja Pal Responds to Questions Surrounding Her Second Marriage and Surname Controversy

In a recent interview, politician Pooja Pal addressed the speculation and social media discussions regarding her second marriage and the use of her surname. Many have questioned why she continues to go by “Pal” after reportedly marrying Brijesh Verma in 2018, with some suggesting that she should be referred to as “Verma” instead.

Pooja Pal clarified that she has never hidden anything about her personal life but also emphasized that not everything needs to be made public. “If people are not aware of something, why is it my fault? There was a political leader who made a statement about my marriage without checking my public comments from April 25, where I had already addressed this issue. Since my voting in the Rajya Sabha, there’s been a lot of speculation and statements against me, but I haven’t responded to every allegation because I don’t feel the need to justify my personal decisions to everyone,” she said.

Reflecting on her journey, Pooja Pal recounted the tragic murder of her first husband, Raju Pal, in 2005. She confirmed that she remained single until 2018. “My in-laws never pressured me to remarry—there were barely any family members left in my in-laws’ home. I never considered remarriage, and neither did they bring it up.”

Pooja explained that in 2016, after she pushed for a CBI probe into her first husband’s murder, she reconnected with a close family friend from her maternal side. After forming a closer bond with his family, she contested elections but lost due to political conspiracies led by notorious gangster-politician Atiq Ahmed and his associates.

She revealed that even after her remarriage, some people around her—including her own relatives—used it as a pretext for their political ambitions, promising her support in legal battles and encouraging her to remarry, supposedly to improve her quality of life. However, Pooja stressed that the encouragement to remarry came more from her maternal relatives looking to further their political interests than genuine concern for her well-being.

“Many people told me, ‘You’ve struggled so much—now let us take care of your legal cases and issues. How will you spend your life alone?’ But in reality, much of this was emotionally manipulative. The intention behind my second marriage was not entirely for my benefit but also to ensure some people could advance their own political ambitions while I remained in the spotlight,” she shared.

Pooja Pal underlined that her personal decisions have always been influenced by her circumstances, her struggle for justice, and the complex interplay of family and politics. She urged that rather than focusing on her surname or personal choices, people should recognize the ongoing challenges women in public life face, especially those who have battled personal losses and political conspiracies.

In closing, Pal acknowledged that her continued use of “Pal” is not a denial of her marriage or identity but a symbol of her roots, struggles, and the community she continues to represent.