BJP names Dinesh Arya, actor Koel Mallick in first Rajya Sabha candidate list
The party's Central Election Committee cleared two names on Sunday, October 4, for Uttarakhand and for the West Bengal Rajya Sabha bypoll.
The BJP has released its first list of candidates for the Rajya Sabha elections. The party's Central Election Committee approved two names on Sunday, October 4. Dinesh Arya has been given the ticket from Uttarakhand, while Rukmini Mallick, also known as Koel Mallick, has been named the candidate for the Rajya Sabha bypoll in West Bengal.
Dinesh Arya, a resident of Nainital, has earlier worked as the BJP's Nainital district president. He is currently a minister of state-rank office-bearer in the Uttarakhand government. He is also reported to be serving as vice-chairperson of the state-level drinking water monitoring council. In Uttarakhand, the BJP has thus fielded a leader with experience in the local organisation.
In West Bengal, the BJP has nominated actor Rukmini Mallick, also known as Koel Mallick. Notably, she had earlier become a Rajya Sabha member on a Trinamool Congress ticket. She took oath as an MP in April and resigned her Rajya Sabha membership in July. The BJP has now fielded her again in the Rajya Sabha election.
Koel Mallick is an actor in the Bengali film industry. Her candidature is therefore being watched closely in political circles as well as in the Bengali entertainment world.
Voting for the Rajya Sabha elections will be held on October 16. It covers 10 seats from Uttar Pradesh, one seat from Uttarakhand and a bypoll for one seat from West Bengal. The West Bengal seat fell vacant after Koel Mallick's resignation.
The BJP has so far announced only two candidates. More names are likely to be declared for the remaining Uttar Pradesh seats, and political circles are now waiting for the party's next list.
