Former TMC MP Koel Mallick Joins BJP, Secures Rajya Sabha Nomination

In a significant political shift, former Trinamool Congress (TMC) Member of Parliament Koel Mallick has officially joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday. This development comes just a day after the BJP nominated her for the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections, marking a notable exit from the political faction led by Mamata Banerjee.

Mallick, who previously served as a lawmaker in the Rajya Sabha, had tendered her resignation from the TMC and left her post in July this year. Her resignation raised eyebrows primarily due to the context surrounding it, as it followed the TMC’s defeat in the Assembly elections against the BJP in May. Speculations suggest that her departure was influenced by alleged pressure from the BJP, which has been accused of trying to weaken the TMC’s hold in West Bengal.

According to current political analyses, Koel Mallick is expected to secure a re-election to the Rajya Sabha without contest, given the current composition of the West Bengal Assembly. The forthcoming election, should it proceed, is slated for October 16, with results being declared on the same day. Her rapid transition to the BJP indicates a broader trend of party-switching as political alignments shift in the wake of electoral outcomes in the state.

Following her resignation, Mallick met with Union Minister and senior BJP figure Bhupender Yadav in New Delhi, which heightened speculation about her potential alignment with the ruling party. Interestingly, in her resignation letter addressed to Vice President CP Radhakrishnan, she did not provide specific reasons for her departure, suggesting a calculated move rather than an impulsive decision.

The TMC has been grappling with internal challenges since its electoral defeat, with several of its members opting to join the BJP. In a similar vein, three notable TMC Rajya Sabha MPs—Sukhendu Sekhar Ray, Sushmita Dev, and Prakash Chik Baraik—resigned earlier in June and subsequently joined the BJP, securing unopposed re-elections on the BJP ticket. This ongoing trend raises questions about the future stability of the TMC and the broader implications for West Bengal’s political landscape as it continues to evolve.

Source: scroll.in