Former Trinamool Congress MP and Bengali film actor Koel Mallick formally joined the Bharatiya Janata Party on Monday, a day after the ruling party named her as its candidate for the October 16 Rajya Sabha bypoll in West Bengal.
Koel, a popular face in the Bengali film industry, was elected to the Rajya Sabha on a TMC ticket in April this year. She resigned from the Upper House in July following the party’s setback in the West Bengal Assembly elections, according to The Indian Express.
She joined the BJP in the presence of the party’s state general secretary Sashi Agnihotri. Koel is scheduled to submit her nomination later on Monday in the presence of Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari.
Speaking to reporters after joining the BJP, Koel thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Suvendu for giving her the opportunity.
“In the last few months, after BJP came to power in Bengal, there has been significant development in the state. It is inspiring. I am proud to be in such a party,” she said.
Koel said job creation would be one of the key challenges for the state, noting that many young people leave West Bengal after completing their education because of limited employment opportunities.
“People of Bengal want development and jobs. We have seen that after finishing their education, people leave Bengal for jobs outside because there is a dearth of jobs here. One should create more jobs here so these people can return,” she said.
She also said she wanted to work for people who were less privileged.
“I am privileged. But many are not as privileged as I am. I would like to work for them,” Koel said, recalling that her family had encouraged her from childhood to help disadvantaged people.
Asked about her decision to leave the TMC, she said political parties had different ways of working.
“Different parties work in their own ways. Each political party has its own way of working and trying to do good for people. I have never spoken against anyone, not during my film career or otherwise,” she said.
Koel is the fourth TMC Rajya Sabha MP to join the BJP after Sushmita Dev, Sukhendu Sekhar Ray and Prakash Chik Baraik joined the BJP on July 9 after resigning from the TMC and the Upper House. They had been elected to the Rajya Sabha on BJP tickets.
West Bengal BJP leaders have welcomed the former TMC leaders, describing them as untainted members who could strengthen the party. The TMC, however, has criticised the moves as acts of betrayal.
“Our leaders Mamata Banerjee and Abhishek Banerjee have already stated that our evaluation of some people was wrong. Our trust in some people was a mistake,” TMC spokesperson Krishanu Mitra said.
“The BJP must also clarify the dilemma within the party. First, they said no TMC men or women would be taken into the BJP. Then they said they picked good TMC leaders. They should evaluate who are their own party members and who are outsiders,” he added.
Koel is the daughter of veteran Bengali actor Ranjit Mallick and Deepa Mallick. She married film producer Nispal Singh in 2013.
She has received several awards for her film performances, including a Filmfare Awards Bangla, two Bengali Film Journalists’ Association awards and an Anandalok Puraskar. In 2023, the TMC-led West Bengal government honoured her with the Mahanayak Samman.