punjab-gets-priority-in-modi-cabinet-says-bittu

BJP leader Ravneet Singh Bittu has expressed his delight at being chosen to join Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s cabinet. Bittu, who recently switched from Congress to BJP, is enthusiastic about his new role despite having lost in the recent elections.

 

He emphasised that being included in the cabinet is a significant honour, especially for Punjab, which he believes has been given priority this time. Bittu is committed to preparing the groundwork for BJP’s success in the 2027 Assembly elections in Punjab.

 

During a tea meeting at the Prime Minister’s residence, Bittu highlighted the political landscape in Punjab. He noted that the people of Punjab had recently rejected Congress and expressed scepticism about the Aam Aadmi Party’s governance.

 

Bittu suggested that BJP is now the only viable option for the people of Punjab and expressed his ambition to become the Chief Minister if given the opportunity.

 

In response to Bittu’s appointment, Punjab Congress President Amarinder Singh Raja Warring, who defeated Bittu in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, expressed a positive outlook.

 

He believes that having Bittu in the cabinet could lead to more work being done for Punjab. Warring acknowledged the expectations from the Modi government and hoped for positive outcomes for the state.

 

Ravneet Singh Bittu comes from a prominent political family in Punjab. He is the grandson of former Punjab Chief Minister Beant Singh and the son of former Punjab minister Tej Parkash Singh.

 

Before switching to BJP, Bittu had a successful political career with Congress, serving as a Lok Sabha MP from Anandpur Sahib in 2009 and from Ludhiana in 2014 and 2019.

 

In the 2019 elections, he defeated Simarjeet Singh Bains of the Lok Insaaf Party by a significant margin. However, in the recent 2024 elections, he lost to Warring by over 20,000 votes.

 

The swearing-in ceremony of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his new cabinet took place on Sunday evening at the Rashtrapati Bhavan. Ahead of the ceremony, the newly appointed MPs attended a tea meeting at the Prime Minister’s residence.

 

Republican Party of India Rajya Sabha MP Ramdas Athawale, who was also present, expressed his pride and anticipation for the new government. He mentioned that the portfolios for the ministers would be decided the following day and expressed his satisfaction with whatever role he would be assigned.

 

The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) had unanimously passed a resolution on June 5 to re-elect Narendra Modi as their leader, leading to his third term as Prime Minister. The swearing-in ceremony marked a significant moment for the NDA and the country as Modi and his council of ministers took their oaths of office.