Koel Mallick Joins BJP and Becomes Rajya Sabha Candidate
Published: 01:34 5 October 2026
Popular Tollywood actress Koel Mallick has officially joined the BJP, just a day after being named the party's candidate for the Rajya Sabha by-election in West Bengal. She joined the party on Monday morning (October 5) and subsequently filed her nomination papers for the Rajya Sabha.
On Sunday, the BJP announced Koel Mallick (also known as Rukmini Mallick) as its candidate for the West Bengal Rajya Sabha by-election. The very next day, she visited the BJP office in Kolkata to formally join the party.
Koel had previously served in the Rajya Sabha representing the Trinamool Congress. She resigned from her Rajya Sabha membership in July of this year. Following her resignation, there had been speculation in political circles regarding the possibility of her joining the BJP.
The BJP's Central Election Committee finalized Koel as the candidate for the upcoming by-election in West Bengal. Simultaneously, Dinesh Arya was named the candidate for the Rajya Sabha election in Uttarakhand. The elections are scheduled to be held on October 16.
After joining the party, Koel stated that she wishes to work towards the development of West Bengal and the creation of more employment opportunities. She also mentioned that she intends to focus on highlighting her party's positive work and policies rather than making negative comments about opposition parties.
Koel's switch to a new political party has already sparked discussion within West Bengal's political landscape. There is particular interest in her political future, given that she is now a BJP candidate after having previously resigned as a Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha member.
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