Story perspectives

BJP Names Koel Mallick and Dinesh Arya Rajya Sabha Candidates

By Drooid · Oct 4, 2026, 4:22 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

Story summary

BJP announced Koel Mallick as its Rajya Sabha candidate from West Bengal for the Oct 16 election.
BJP announced Dinesh Arya as its Rajya Sabha candidate from Uttarakhand for the Oct 16 election.
Mallick quit after the TMC elected her and now runs for the same seat as a BJP candidate.
Arya serves as vice chairperson of Uttarakhand’s Resources Management and Regulatory Commission, a role equivalent to a state cabinet minister.

History

Historical Context

Mamata Banerjee split from the Congress to launch the All India Trinamool Congress in 1998; the party surged to power in West Bengal in 2011, winning 184 assembly seats and ending 34 years of Left rule. The BJP now fields actress Koel Mallick and regulator Dinesh Arya for Rajya Sabha, echoing its earlier strategy of nominating high-profile candidates.

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Story summary

BJP announced Koel Mallick as its Rajya Sabha candidate from West Bengal for the Oct 16 election.
BJP announced Dinesh Arya as its Rajya Sabha candidate from Uttarakhand for the Oct 16 election.
Mallick quit after the TMC elected her and now runs for the same seat as a BJP candidate.
Arya serves as vice chairperson of Uttarakhand’s Resources Management and Regulatory Commission, a role equivalent to a state cabinet minister.

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