Dinesh Arya and Rukmini Mallick now BJP candidates for Rajyasabha by-election

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Sunday announced Dinesh Arya as its candidate for the 2026 Rajya Sabha biennial election in Uttarakhand and Rukmini Mallick (Koel Mallick) from West Bengal.

In Uttarakhand, the by-election is necessitated by the completion of the term of sitting Rajya Sabha member Naresh Bansal.(UPDATED ON 4TH OCTOBER 2026)