Koel Mallick officially becomes a BJP member
On Monday, Kolkata‑based film star Rukmini “Koel” Mallick – daughter of veteran Bengali actor Ranjit Mallick – formally entered the Bharatiya Janata Party. Her induction came just 24 hours after the party named her its nominee for the forthcoming West Bengal Rajya Sabha by‑election.
What the move means for her career
Speaking from the BJP’s state headquarters, Mallick described the invitation to return to Parliament as both an honour and an opportunity to serve the public interest. She expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari for their confidence in her, and vowed to prioritise development projects across the state.
“I am eager to work for the welfare of the people and to contribute to West Bengal’s progress,” she told reporters.
BJP West Bengal General Secretary Sashi Agnihotri welcomed her warmly, noting that she would soon submit her nomination papers for the vacant Rajya Sabha seat.
A snapshot of her political journey
Mallick’s first term in the Upper House began on 6 April 2024, when she took oath as a member of the Trinamool Congress (TMC). After the TMC’s loss in the state assembly elections, she resigned on 16 July, having served just over three months in the Rajya Sabha.
Her swift departure raised eyebrows, but it also turned her into a high‑profile recruit for the BJP, which is revamping its West Bengal lineup after the recent polls.
The pending by‑poll and its implications
The by‑election slated for 16 October will fill 12 seats spread across West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand. In West Bengal, the BJP currently holds a comfortable majority in the state assembly, giving Mallick a statistical advantage for the seat she left vacant.
Her candidature underscores a growing pattern of former TMC Rajya Sabha members defecting to the BJP and seeking a fresh entry into Parliament.
