“Ravneet Singh Bittu Joins Modi Cabinet as Union Minister”

BJP leader from Ludhiana, Ravneet Singh Bittu, has been appointed as Union Minister of State in the Modi government. Despite his defeat in the Lok Sabha elections, the BJP high command has shown confidence in him, underscoring Punjab’s importance to the party. Bittu is the only leader from Punjab included in the Modi cabinet. He is the grandson of former Punjab Chief Minister Beant Singh. Before this year’s Lok Sabha elections, he left the Congress and joined the BJP, contesting from Ludhiana but losing to Congress’ state president Amarinder Singh Raja Warding by more than twenty thousand votes.

The BJP did not win a single seat in Punjab, with all 13 BJP candidates losing. It seemed that Punjab would not have representation at the center, but the BJP high command appointed Bittu as a minister, demonstrating their focus on the border state. With an eye on the 2027 assembly elections, the BJP has strategically chosen Bittu, a Jat Sikh, who has been vocal against the Khalistani ideology in Punjab. Bittu stated that the Modi government has prioritized Punjab by giving it a cabinet position and that he is fully prepared to advance the state’s interests. PM Modi and Amit Shah have devised a comprehensive roadmap for the state’s development, and Bittu aims to bridge the center’s efforts with the needs of farmers, laborers, the poor, and the business community. His target is the 2027 assembly elections.

Ludhiana holds political significance, being a hub for bicycle, hosiery, and textile industries. Now, Ludhiana has two MPs and one Union Minister. AAP’s Sanjeev Arora serves as a Rajya Sabha member from Ludhiana, and Amarinder Singh Raja Warding is the MP from the Ludhiana parliamentary seat. Bittu, now a Union Minister, will need to become a Rajya Sabha member within six months, given the BJP’s lack of seats in the Punjab Rajya Sabha. He will likely be appointed from another state.

Historically, other leaders like Arun Jaitley and Hardeep Puri have been made ministers despite losing elections, subsequently being appointed to the Rajya Sabha. Similarly, Bittu will be sent to the Rajya Sabha to retain his ministerial post.

Home Minister Amit Shah had promised during the Lok Sabha election campaign in Ludhiana to make Bittu a significant leader if elected. Though Bittu lost the election, Shah fulfilled his promise by appointing him to the Union Cabinet. Bittu left Congress before the elections, contested from Ludhiana under BJP, and despite losing in a tough competition, has now been made a Union Minister.