Despite facing defeat in the Lok Sabha elections, former three-time MP Ravneet Singh Bittu has been appointed as Union Minister of State, fulfilling a promise made by Amit Shah, the then Union Home Minister. Bittu, who lost his seat in the polls, was sworn in as a state Union minister in New Delhi.
With this induction, the BJP gains a Sikh representation from Punjab in the Union council of ministers. Bittu, the grandson of former Punjab Chief Minister Beant Singh, joined the BJP in March 2024, switching allegiances just before the elections. He lost to Punjab Congress chief Amarinder Singh Raja Warring by a margin of 20,942 votes.
Bittu’s political journey began in 2009 when he contested and won the Lok Sabha seat from Sri Anandpur Sahib. Subsequently, he won from the Ludhiana constituency in 2014 and 2019. Despite criticism from Congress leaders for his switch to the BJP, Bittu’s induction is celebrated by Ludhiana BJP workers, anticipating benefits for the district, especially in the industrial sector.
His appointment as a Union minister also underscores the BJP’s efforts to diversify its representation and consolidate support in Punjab.
