The BJP has announced the name of popular Bengali actress Koel Mallick as its Rajya Sabha candidate from West Bengal. Mallick, popularly called the ‘Tollywood Queen’, being nominated, adds a lot of star power as well as strategic depth to the BJP’s political roster. Along with her, the party has fielded Dinesh Arya as its candidate from Uttarakhand for the Upper House.
Political analysts have closely followed the political journey of Mallick, more so after she had strong association with the West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee earlier. She entered the Rajya Sabha earlier this year on a Trinamool Congress (TMC) ticket and became a prominent and vocal face of the party in Delhi. However, the state assembly elections changed the political scenario dramatically. Amidst internal turbulence within the TMC, she resigned decisively from her parliamentary position and officially joined the BJP. She is now ready to shift back to the Upper House to take up BJP’s vision.
Outside of the complicated political stage, Koel Mallick is a force to be reckoned with in the Bengali entertainment industry. Born as Rukmini Mallick, she has made her own niche as a leading actress. She inherits her cinematic legacy from her father, veteran Bengali actor Ranjit Mallick, a much-revered name in the regional cinema. She also boasts a sizable and very engaged audience of over 3.1 million followers on Instagram, with her reach extending significantly into the digital realm. Her strong connect with the grassroot and popularity among the masses of the Bengali culture makes her an important asset for BJP in the party’s efforts to consolidate its position in West Bengal.