Koel Mallick, the Bengali film actress and daughter of veteran actor Ranjit Mallick, has been nominated by the BJP for a Rajya Sabha seat — just weeks after her resignation from the same house under the Trinamool Congress banner. The move marks another shift in West Bengal’s political landscape following the TMC’s defeat in the May assembly elections. Mallick, who took oath as a Rajya Sabha MP on April 6, stepped down on July 16, citing the party’s electoral loss. Her nomination comes ahead of the October 16 poll, with the deadline to file nominations set for October 6 and withdrawal allowed until October 9. The BJP’s decision follows a broader trend: three other former TMC Rajya Sabha MPs, Sukhendu Sekhar Ray, Sushmita Dev, and Prakash Chik Baraik. Have also defected to the saffron camp and re-entered the Upper House under BJP patronage. The move has drawn sharp criticism from within the TMC, with MLA Kunal Ghosh accusing Mallick of political opportunism. 'When Didi was CM, she gave fair chances to all. Now they’re leaning towards the saffron camp,' he said, echoing a growing sentiment that personal ambition is overtaking party loyalty. Whether Mallick will win remains uncertain, but her candidacy shows how entertainment figures are increasingly stepping into the political arena, and how quickly allegiances can change when power shifts.