Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi

New Delhi, Oct 4: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Sunday announced Dinesh Arya as its candidate for the Rajya Sabha biennial election from Uttarakhand and actor Rukmini Mallick, popularly known as Koel Mallick, for the Rajya Sabha by-election in West Bengal.

The names were approved by the BJP Central Election Committee.

The Rajya Sabha elections for 10 seats from Uttar Pradesh and one from Uttarakhand, along with the by-election for one seat from West Bengal, will be held on October 16. Polling will take place from 9 am to 4 pm, followed by counting on the same day.

The Uttarakhand election is being held as the term of BJP Rajya Sabha member Naresh Bansal is due to end on November 25. The BJP has a clear majority in the Uttarakhand Assembly and is well placed to retain the seat.

The West Bengal by-election was necessitated by the resignation of Rukmini Mallick on July 16. Her term was originally scheduled to continue until April 2, 2032. Mallick, a prominent Bengali actor and daughter of veteran actor Ranjit Mallick, had been elected to the Rajya Sabha on a Trinamool Congress ticket earlier this year.

Mallick did not attend a Parliament sitting during her brief tenure and resigned before the Monsoon Session. She is now the BJP's candidate for the same seat that she had vacated.

Her resignation followed those of three other former Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha members — Sukhendu Sekhar Roy, Sushmita Dev and Prakash Chik Baraik. All three later joined the BJP and were re-elected to the Upper House as BJP members.

The Election Commission had announced the schedule for the three-state Rajya Sabha elections in September. Notifications were issued on September 29, nominations could be filed until October 6, scrutiny is scheduled for October 7 and candidates can withdraw their nominations until October 9.

The BJP is also in a strong position in West Bengal following its majority in the state Assembly, with current numbers favouring the party in the by-election.