Koel Mallick Joins BJP, Files Rajya Sabha Nomination From West Bengal: What We Know
Bengali actor and former TMC MP Koel Mallick has joined the BJP and filed her nomination for the October 16 Rajya Sabha bypoll in West Bengal, seeking a return to the Upper House months after resigning her seat.
Koel Mallick files her BJP nomination for the West Bengal Rajya Sabha by-election in Kolkata
Table of Contents (20 sections)
Popular Bengali film actor Rukmini Mallick, widely known as Koel Mallick, formally joined the Bharatiya Janata Party and filed her nomination for the upcoming Rajya Sabha by-election in West Bengal, marking a fresh turn in her brief but eventful political career.
Mallick joined the BJP at the party's state headquarters in Kolkata on October 5, 2026, a day after the party named her as its candidate. She later submitted her nomination papers at the West Bengal Legislative Assembly.
The October 16 by-election carries an unusual element: Mallick is contesting for the same Rajya Sabha seat that became vacant after she herself resigned from it in July, when she was a Trinamool Congress member.
She is now seeking to return to the Upper House as a BJP representative.
Her filing does not mean she has already been elected. The Election Commission's schedule provides for scrutiny of nominations on October 7, withdrawal of candidature until October 9 and polling on October 16 if required.
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Koel Mallick formally joined the BJP on October 5, 2026.
The BJP had announced her as its West Bengal Rajya Sabha candidate a day earlier.
She filed her nomination at the West Bengal Assembly later on October 5.
Mallick previously represented the Trinamool Congress in the Rajya Sabha.
She served briefly from April before resigning on July 16, 2026.
The October 16 bypoll is being held to fill the vacancy created by her resignation.
Nomination scrutiny is scheduled for October 7.
Candidates can withdraw until October 9.
Mallick is currently a BJP candidate; the election process has not yet concluded.
When Did Koel Mallick Join the BJP?
Mallick formally entered the BJP on Monday, October 5, at the party's West Bengal headquarters.
She received the party flag during the induction programme before travelling to the Assembly to submit her Rajya Sabha nomination.
The move came only a day after the BJP selected her for the West Bengal seat.
Mallick said after joining that she wanted to work on public issues and contribute to development in the state.
Speaking to reporters, she said serving people was a responsibility and referred to education, employment, industrial growth and investment among issues she wanted addressed.
Those comments represent Mallick's stated political priorities as a new BJP member rather than an independent assessment of conditions in West Bengal.
Koel Mallick Files Rajya Sabha Nomination
After joining the BJP, Mallick submitted her nomination papers at the office of the West Bengal Assembly's principal secretary.
West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari and BJP state president Samik Bhattacharya, who is also a Rajya Sabha member, accompanied her during the filing. Other BJP leaders were also present.
Photographs from the Assembly showed Mallick during the nomination process on October 5.
The formal filing means her candidature now moves through the Election Commission's prescribed nomination and scrutiny process.
Why Is This Rajya Sabha Seat Vacant?
The West Bengal seat became vacant because Mallick resigned from the Rajya Sabha on July 16, 2026.
She had entered the Upper House earlier in the year as a Trinamool Congress representative and took oath on April 6. Her first Rajya Sabha tenure therefore lasted only a few months.
The Election Commission subsequently scheduled a by-election to fill the remainder of the vacant term.
According to the published election schedule, the person ultimately elected to the seat is expected to serve the remainder of the term, which runs until April 2, 2032.
From TMC MP to BJP Candidate
Mallick's political transition has happened rapidly.
She entered the Rajya Sabha earlier in 2026 as a TMC member, resigned in July and has now joined the BJP and sought a return to Parliament on the BJP ticket.
The sequence is:
April 6, 2026: Mallick took oath as a TMC Rajya Sabha MP.
July 16, 2026: She resigned from the Rajya Sabha.
October 4, 2026: BJP announced Mallick as its candidate for the West Bengal Rajya Sabha by-election.
October 5, 2026: She formally joined the BJP and subsequently filed her nomination.
October 7, 2026: Scrutiny of nomination papers is scheduled.
October 9, 2026: Last date for withdrawal of candidature.
October 16, 2026: Polling will be held if required.
What Did Koel Mallick Say After Joining BJP?
Mallick said she considered the nomination a significant responsibility and wanted to work directly on issues affecting people.
She told reporters that she wanted greater educational opportunities, employment, investment and industrial development in West Bengal.
On questions about leaving the Trinamool Congress, Mallick avoided making a direct personal attack on her former party.
She said different political parties have their own approaches and indicated that she did not want to speak negatively about her former colleagues.
That relatively restrained response is notable because her switch has attracted criticism from political opponents.
How Has the TMC Responded?
Trinamool figures have criticised Mallick's decision to leave the party and seek a return to the Rajya Sabha on a BJP ticket.
TMC leader Kunal Ghosh was among those who questioned the switch and argued that she had not done justice to the opportunity previously given to her by the Trinamool Congress.
Those remarks are partisan political criticism and should be understood as the TMC's response to her defection rather than an independently established judgment about Mallick's performance.
Mallick has said she does not want to respond by attacking her former party.
Why Did Koel Mallick Resign Earlier?
Mallick resigned from the Rajya Sabha on July 16 after only a short period as a TMC MP.
Her resignation came during a period of significant political movement following the West Bengal Assembly election, with several former TMC Rajya Sabha members subsequently changing political affiliation.
Contemporary reports noted speculation about Mallick's political future after she met Union minister Bhupender Yadav following her resignation.
Her formal BJP membership on October 5 has now resolved that uncertainty.
Who Is Koel Mallick?
Koel Mallick is one of the better-known names in contemporary Bengali cinema.
Her legal name is Rukmini Mallick, while Koel Mallick is the name under which she has built her film career.
She is the daughter of veteran Bengali actor Ranjit Mallick.
Her entry into parliamentary politics came comparatively recently, when she became a TMC Rajya Sabha member earlier in 2026.
Her move to the BJP places her among a broader group of entertainment personalities who have entered electoral or parliamentary politics in India.
Whether her film popularity translates into a particular political impact cannot be established merely from her celebrity profile and will depend on her work as a political representative and future electoral circumstances.
When Is the West Bengal Rajya Sabha Election?
The by-election is scheduled for October 16, 2026.
The Election Commission's timetable is:
September 29: Election notification
October 6: Last date for nominations
October 7: Scrutiny of nominations
October 9: Last date for withdrawal
October 16, 9 a.m.–4 p.m.: Polling, if required
October 16, 5 p.m.: Counting
October 19: Election process to be completed
Because Mallick filed on October 5, her paperwork was submitted one day before the nomination deadline.
Why Is the Election Being Called a Bypoll?
The West Bengal contest differs from the regular Rajya Sabha elections taking place at the same time in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand.
Ten Rajya Sabha seats from Uttar Pradesh and one from Uttarakhand are part of biennial elections connected to the expiry of existing members' terms.
The West Bengal election, by contrast, is a by-election caused by Mallick's July resignation.
Altogether, election proceedings concern 12 seats: 10 in Uttar Pradesh, one in Uttarakhand and the West Bengal vacancy.
How Is a Rajya Sabha Member From West Bengal Chosen?
Rajya Sabha representatives from states are elected by members of the respective Legislative Assembly rather than through a direct public vote.
That means West Bengal voters do not directly cast ballots for Mallick or another Rajya Sabha candidate in this election.
Members of the West Bengal Legislative Assembly form the electorate for the Rajya Sabha seat.
The Election Commission oversees nomination scrutiny and the remaining electoral procedure. Its ENCORE system records whether nomination papers are accepted or rejected following scrutiny.
Does Filing Her Nomination Mean Koel Mallick Is Already an MP Again?
No.
This is an important distinction in reporting the story.
As of October 6, 2026, Mallick has:
joined the BJP;
been selected as the BJP candidate; and
filed her nomination papers.
She has not yet been declared elected through the current election process.
Her nomination is scheduled for scrutiny on October 7, and the final candidate position will become clearer after the withdrawal deadline on October 9.
News headlines should therefore use terms such as “BJP candidate,” “files nomination” or “seeks Rajya Sabha return” rather than describing her as a newly elected BJP Rajya Sabha MP at this stage.
BJP's Position in the West Bengal Assembly
PTI reported that the BJP currently has a clear majority in the West Bengal Legislative Assembly.
That legislative arithmetic is relevant because MLAs determine the result of a Rajya Sabha election.
However, the election process has not yet concluded, and the final outcome should not be reported before the applicable nomination, withdrawal and polling procedures are completed.
Why This Political Switch Matters
Mallick's move has attracted attention for several reasons.
First, she is a prominent Bengali film personality with substantial public recognition.
Second, her transition from TMC to BJP occurred within months of her first entry into Parliament.
Third, she is seeking election from the same seat she vacated while representing another party.
Fourth, her candidacy comes amid broader realignment in West Bengal politics following the 2026 Assembly election.
The development is therefore relevant both as a celebrity-politics story and as part of changing party alignments in the state.
What Happens Next?
The immediate next step is scrutiny of nomination papers on October 7.
Election officials will examine whether submitted nominations satisfy the statutory requirements.
Candidates whose nominations remain valid can withdraw until October 9.
After that, the final list of contesting candidates will be known.
If polling is necessary, members of the West Bengal Legislative Assembly will vote on October 16, with counting scheduled for the same evening.
Latest Verified Status
As of October 6, 2026:
Koel Mallick has formally joined the BJP.
She has filed her nomination for the West Bengal Rajya Sabha by-election.
The BJP nominated her for the seat a day before she formally joined the party.
Mallick previously served briefly as a TMC Rajya Sabha MP from April until her July 16 resignation.
The October 16 by-election is being held to fill the seat created by her own resignation.
The last date for nominations is October 6.
Scrutiny is scheduled for October 7.
Withdrawal of candidature is permitted until October 9.
Mallick has not yet been declared elected in the current process.
Frequently Asked Questions
Did Koel Mallick join the BJP?
Yes. Bengali actor Rukmini “Koel” Mallick formally joined the BJP in Kolkata on October 5, 2026.
Has Koel Mallick filed her Rajya Sabha nomination?
Yes. She submitted her nomination papers at the West Bengal Legislative Assembly on October 5 as the BJP candidate.
Is Koel Mallick already a BJP Rajya Sabha MP?
No. She is currently a candidate in the October 16 by-election. The nomination and election process must be completed before the result is established.
Was Koel Mallick previously with TMC?
Yes. She entered the Rajya Sabha as a Trinamool Congress member earlier in 2026 before resigning on July 16.
Why is there a Rajya Sabha by-election in West Bengal?
The vacancy arose when Mallick resigned from the Rajya Sabha in July. The October election will fill the remaining term of that seat.
When is the Rajya Sabha election?
Polling, if required, is scheduled for October 16, 2026.
When will Koel Mallick's nomination be scrutinised?
Scrutiny of nominations is scheduled for October 7.
What is the last date for withdrawing nominations?
Candidates can withdraw their candidature until October 9.
What is Koel Mallick's real name?
Her legal name is Rukmini Mallick; she is widely known professionally as Koel Mallick.
Who elects a Rajya Sabha MP from West Bengal?
Elected members of the West Bengal Legislative Assembly vote in the Rajya Sabha election; it is not a direct public election.
Bottom Line
Bengali actor Koel Mallick has joined the BJP and filed her nomination for the October 16 Rajya Sabha by-election in West Bengal, seeking a return to the Upper House after resigning her TMC seat in July. The election process is still underway.
The Rajatheertha Team publishes news, explainers, guides and updates across India and the world. Our coverage follows Rajatheertha's editorial, verification and corrections standards.
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