Kolkata: In a significant political development in West Bengal, Bengali actor Koel Mallick, also known as Rukmini Mallick, has formally joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and has been chosen as the party’s candidate for the upcoming Rajya Sabha by-election in the state.
The BJP announced her candidature on October 4, following her resignation from the Rajya Sabha as a Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP in July. She had originally been nominated to the Upper House by the TMC and took oath as an MP on April 6, 2026. She resigned from the post on July 16.
On October 5, Mallick formally joined the BJP at the party’s state headquarters in Kolkata. She subsequently filed her nomination papers for the Rajya Sabha by-election in the presence of West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari and BJP state president Samik Bhattacharya.
Speaking after joining the BJP, Mallick said that Bengal needs greater opportunities in education, employment, industry and investment. She also expressed her intention to work on issues affecting ordinary people and contribute to the state’s development.
The development comes ahead of the October 16 Rajya Sabha by-election, which will decide the successor to the seat vacated by Mallick after her resignation.
Mallick’s political shift has also triggered criticism from the TMC, with party spokesperson Kunal Ghosh accusing her of changing political loyalties.
The move marks a striking turnaround in Mallick’s political journey within months of entering Parliament as a TMC nominee, she is now seeking a return to the Rajya Sabha on a BJP ticket.
