Who Is Koel Mallick? BJP Names Former TMC MP as Rajya Sabha Candidate From West Bengal
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Sunday named Bengali actor and former Trinamool Congress (TMC) Rajya Sabha MP Rukmini Mallick, popularly known as Koel Mallick, as its candidate for the Rajya Sabha by-election in West Bengal.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Sunday named Bengali actor and former Trinamool Congress (TMC) Rajya Sabha MP Rukmini Mallick, popularly known as Koel Mallick, as its candidate for the Rajya Sabha by-election in West Bengal. The announcement comes months after Mallick resigned from the Upper House as a TMC nominee and subsequently moved towards the BJP.
The West Bengal Rajya Sabha bypoll will be held on October 16, 2026, to fill the seat vacated by Mallick. The Election Commission announced the schedule on September 22, with October 6 as the last date for filing nominations and October 9 as the deadline for withdrawal.
Who Is Koel Mallick?
Koel Mallick is one of the prominent faces of Bengali cinema. Her official name is Rukmini Mallick, and she is the daughter of veteran Bengali actor Ranjit Mallick. Mallick studied psychology and holds a BSc with honours in the subject. She completed her schooling at Modern High School for Girls in Kolkata and later studied at Gokhale Memorial Girls College. She married producer Nispal Singh in 2013.
She has had a career spanning more than two decades in the Bengali film industry and is widely recognised for her work in Bengali cinema. Her entry into electoral politics came earlier this year when the TMC nominated her for the Rajya Sabha.
Koel Mallick's TMC Rajya Sabha Stint
The TMC announced Mallick as one of its four Rajya Sabha candidates in February 2026. She was subsequently elected and took oath as a Rajya Sabha member on April 6. However, her parliamentary tenure was brief. Mallick resigned from the Rajya Sabha on July 16, just over three months after taking oath. Reports noted that she did not attend a parliamentary session during her short tenure.
Her resignation came after the TMC's setback in the West Bengal Assembly elections and amid a series of exits by senior party leaders and Rajya Sabha members. Before Mallick, Sukhendu Sekhar Ray, Sushmita Dev and Prakash Chik Baraik had also left the TMC and later joined the BJP.
From TMC Exit to BJP Rajya Sabha Ticket
Mallick's resignation was followed by a meeting with Union minister Bhupender Yadav, fuelling speculation about her political move. She has since switched to the BJP, and the party has now formally fielded her for the same West Bengal Rajya Sabha seat that became vacant after her resignation. The BJP's Central Election Committee announced Mallick's candidature along with Dinesh Arya, who has been named the party's candidate from Uttarakhand.
When Is the West Bengal Rajya Sabha Bypoll?
The election for the vacant West Bengal Rajya Sabha seat is scheduled for October 16. Polling will be held from 9 am to 4 pm, with counting scheduled to begin at 5 pm the same day. The West Bengal contest is a by-election rather than part of the regular biennial vacancies because the seat was left vacant following Mallick's resignation. If elected, Mallick would return to the Rajya Sabha only months after leaving the Upper House — this time as a BJP candidate rather than a TMC MP.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Oct 04, 2026 05:13 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
