In a dramatic political twist out of West Bengal, the Bharatiya Janata Party on Saturday nominated former Trinamool Congress MP and Tollywood actress Koel Mallick to the Rajya Sabha — barely a day after she formally joined the saffron party.
Mallick, who filed her nomination papers on Saturday, will contest the October 16 bypoll for the Upper House seat that fell vacant when she herself resigned as a Trinamool MP nearly three months ago. The move completes a remarkable political turnaround: from a Trinamool parliamentarian to a BJP Rajya Sabha nominee within weeks.
Speaking to reporters after joining the BJP, Mallick said she was inspired by the party’s vision of development and national service. State BJP leaders welcomed her into the fold, describing her nomination as recognition of her connect with the people of Bengal and her experience as a parliamentarian.
The development has triggered a political firestorm in West Bengal. The Trinamool Congress, which Mallick quit along with her Rajya Sabha seat in July, accused her of “betrayal” and questioned the timing of her switch. TMC leaders alleged that her resignation from the Upper House was designed to create the very vacancy the BJP is now filling.
The BJP dismissed the charge, insisting that Mallick had joined the party of her own free will and that her nomination followed due process. Party leaders also pointed to her popularity as one of Bengali cinema’s biggest stars and her grassroots appeal as assets that would strengthen the BJP’s presence in the state.
Mallick is among the most recognisable faces in Bengali cinema, with a film career spanning nearly two decades and a string of box-office hits to her credit. Her entry into politics, when the Trinamool sent her to the Rajya Sabha, had been seen as a significant acquisition for the party at the time.
Political observers say the nomination is significant on multiple counts. For the BJP, fielding a well-known Bengali cultural icon aids its outreach in a state where it has been working to expand its footprint. For Mallick, the move marks a decisive break with her former party and the start of a new innings in national politics.
The October 16 bypoll is widely expected to be a formality, but the political messaging around it is anything but. Both parties are using the nomination to score points ahead of future electoral battles in West Bengal.
As news of the nomination broke, social media lit up with reactions — from fans congratulating the actress to rival parties trading barbs. The story dominated headlines through the day, underscoring once again how the crossover between cinema and politics continues to captivate the Indian public.
What remains to be seen is how Mallick’s new political avatar plays out in the Upper House — and whether her star power translates into lasting political capital for the BJP in West Bengal.
