Fresh blow to Mamta's TMC after Koel Mallick steps down from Rajya Sabha seat, visits BJP leader Bhupendra Yadav
Soon after announcing her resignation, she visited senior BJP leader and Union Minister Bhupender Yadav at his home in Delhi, fuelling speculation about where her political journey might head next.
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On Thursday, July 16, Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo Mamata Banerjee faced yet another setback when actress-turned-politician Rukmini Mallick, better known by her screen name Koel Mallick, stepped down from her Rajya Sabha seat. In a letter to Rajya Sabha Chairman and Vice President CP Radhakrishnan, Mallick stated simply that she was resigning from her membership of the Upper House with immediate effect, requesting that the resignation be accepted right away.
A well-known figure in Bengali cinema, Koel Mallick is the daughter of veteran actor Ranjit Mallick and Deepa Mallick. She has been married to film producer Nispal Singh since 2013, and the couple has a son together. Over the years, she has received multiple accolades for her acting work. Her exit comes just one day after another senior TMC figure, former state minister Madan Mitra, quit the party to join the breakaway faction led by Ritabrata Banerjee. Downplaying the significance of his move, Mitra remarked that he had simply "changed my room in the Assembly."
The TMC has been dealing with internal turmoil since its heavy loss to the BJP in the 2026 assembly polls. The revolt gained momentum when expelled MLA Ritabrata Banerjee stepped forward as the leader of a rebel faction challenging Mamata Banerjee's authority within the party. This latest departure follows the earlier resignations of three TMC Rajya Sabha MPs, Sushmita Dev, Prakash Chik Baraik, and Sukhendu Sekhar Ray, who left to join the BJP. Notably, within hours of switching sides, all three were named as BJP candidates for the upcoming Rajya Sabha by-elections, made necessary by the seats they had vacated.
The BJP's Central Election Committee confirmed their candidacies for the July 24 by-polls shortly after the trio formally joined the party at its Salt Lake headquarters, in a ceremony attended by West Bengal BJP chief Samik Bhattacharya and other senior party figures.
Mallick had been nominated to the Rajya Sabha in April 2026, shortly ahead of the West Bengal Assembly elections, a decision widely seen as the party's attempt to capitalise on her star power in the state. Since being sworn in, she has been visibly active in campaign events and public engagement efforts on the party's behalf. Soon after announcing her resignation, she visited senior BJP leader and Union Minister Bhupender Yadav at his home in Delhi, fuelling speculation about where her political journey might head next.
Reacting to the resignation, the former West Bengal Chief Minister claimed that an MP from the film industry had already emailed her resignation and accused the BJP, police, court cases, and the CBI of pressuring TMC leaders. Without naming the MP, Banerjee said, “…I have seen that another MP, who is from a film background- I respect her- she has gone to meet a BJP leader and to resign. I want to inform you all that she had emailed earlier, and thanks to her, today she has gone physically," she said.
“Those who want to go, under the pressure of BJP, under the pressure of Police, from the pressure of court cases, ED, CBI, CID cases… I would request them that before 21st July, they can go anywhere according to their decision," added Banerjee.
Watch: Former West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee says, "... I have seen that another MP, who is from film background, I respect her, she has gone to meet a BJP leader and to resign, I want to inform you all that she had emailed earlier and thanks to her that today she has gone… pic.twitter.com/EaVz616XYq
— IANS (@ians_india) July 16, 2026
A well-known figure in Bengali cinema, Koel Mallick is the daughter of veteran actor Ranjit Mallick and Deepa Mallick. She has been married to film producer Nispal Singh since 2013, and the couple has a son together. Over the years, she has received multiple accolades for her acting work. Her exit comes just one day after another senior TMC figure, former state minister Madan Mitra, quit the party to join the breakaway faction led by Ritabrata Banerjee. Downplaying the significance of his move, Mitra remarked that he had simply "changed my room in the Assembly."
However, he didn't hold back in criticising the party's current leadership, claiming the organisation now revolves entirely around TMC's national general secretary, Abhishek Banerjee. Mitra recounted having urged Abhishek Banerjee to step back for six months to a year so the party could be rebuilt, after which he could return to his position, an offer Mitra said Abhishek flatly rejected, insisting he would not leave the party. Mitra described the party as sinking, comparing it to a boat that had already gone under, with people "dying" around it, while the organisation seemingly prioritised protecting Abhishek above all else, a situation he called deeply upsetting.
The TMC has been dealing with internal turmoil since its heavy loss to the BJP in the 2026 assembly polls. The revolt gained momentum when expelled MLA Ritabrata Banerjee stepped forward as the leader of a rebel faction challenging Mamata Banerjee's authority within the party. This latest departure follows the earlier resignations of three TMC Rajya Sabha MPs, Sushmita Dev, Prakash Chik Baraik, and Sukhendu Sekhar Ray, who left to join the BJP. Notably, within hours of switching sides, all three were named as BJP candidates for the upcoming Rajya Sabha by-elections, made necessary by the seats they had vacated.
The BJP's Central Election Committee confirmed their candidacies for the July 24 by-polls shortly after the trio formally joined the party at its Salt Lake headquarters, in a ceremony attended by West Bengal BJP chief Samik Bhattacharya and other senior party figures.