New Delhi, October 5,2026: The BJP has announced Rukmini Mallick from West Bengal and Dinesh Arya from Uttarakhand as its candidates for the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections. The party’s Central Election Committee approved the nominations ahead of the October 16 polls. Elections will be held for 12 Rajya Sabha seats, including 10 from Uttar Pradesh, one from Uttarakhand and a bypoll in West Bengal. The West Bengal bypoll was necessitated by Mallick’s resignation on July 16. Mallick, popularly known as Koel Mallick, recently joined the BJP after switching from the TMC. The BJP holds a clear majority in the West Bengal Assembly.