Chandigarh: President Droupadi Murmu has accepted the resignation of Union Minister of State for Railways and Food Processing Industries Ravneet Singh Bittu with immediate effect. The resignation was tendered on the advice of Prime Minister Narendra Modi following the conclusion of Bittu’s tenure as a Rajya Sabha Member of Parliament representing Rajasthan in June. The senior leader is expected to shift his political focus entirely towards the forthcoming Punjab Assembly elections, where the Bharatiya Janata Party is building ground-level strategy to challenge the ruling Aam Aadmi Party.
Bittu, the grandson of former Punjab Chief Minister Beant Singh, joined the BJP in 2024 after leaving the Congress. Although he faced a setback in the Lok Sabha elections from Ludhiana, he was nominated to the Rajya Sabha for the remainder of a term vacated by Congress leader K C Venugopal. During his tenure in the central government, he played a prominent role in advocating for rail connectivity and key infrastructure projects in Punjab while positioning himself as a major Sikh face for his party.
The former Union Minister has recently drawn attention for his vocal commentary on political and cultural issues in the state, including sharp criticism of the Diljit Dosanjh starrer Satluj. Observers view his assertive stance as part of a broader electoral strategy designed to appeal across major voter demographics in Punjab, including Sikhs, Hindus, Dalits, and Other Backward Classes. With the party preparing to contest the state elections independently, Bittu is anticipated to play a pivotal role in leading the BJP’s campaign in the border state.
