From TMC to BJP: Koel Mullick Joins BJP, Eyes Rajya Sabha Return

Former Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha MP and Bengali film actor Koel Mullick formally joined the Bharatiya Janata Party on Monday, marking a significant political shift ahead of the Rajya Sabha bypoll in West Bengal.

The BJP had named Mullick as its candidate for the October 16 Rajya Sabha bypoll a day before her formal induction into the party. Her move from the TMC to the BJP comes just months after she entered the Upper House as a Trinamool Congress nominee.

Mullick was elected as a TMC Rajya Sabha MP in April this year. However, her tenure was short-lived. She resigned from the Upper House in July following the electoral setback suffered by the Mamata Banerjee-led party in the West Bengal Assembly elections.

A well-known face in the Bengali film industry, Mullick joined the BJP in the presence of Sashi Agnihotri, the party’s state general secretary. Her entry into the BJP comes at a time when the party is preparing for the upcoming Rajya Sabha bypoll in the state.

Mullick is scheduled to submit her nomination later in the day. According to the report, Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari will be present when she files her nomination.

Her candidature is particularly significant because she is seeking a return to the Rajya Sabha after resigning from the Upper House only a few months ago. The BJP’s decision to field her indicates the party’s intention to use her public profile and political experience in the upcoming contest.

The October 16 bypoll has therefore become an important political event in West Bengal, with Mullick’s switch from the TMC to the BJP adding another dimension to the state’s evolving political landscape.

Mullick’s transition also highlights the changing political journey of a prominent Bengali film personality who moved into electoral politics through the Trinamool Congress before now joining the BJP.

The report states that she will formally enter the Rajya Sabha contest as the BJP nominee and submit her nomination in the presence of Suvendu Adhikari. Further details about the contest and other candidates are not provided in the supplied report.