What TV doesn't, print can't; we deliver.
What TV doesn't, print can't; we deliver.
Bittu, who has served as an MP since 2009, first representing Anandpur Sahib and later Ludhiana, has been vocal about his dissatisfaction within Congress, particularly urging the leadership to discipline former Punjab Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu
NEW DELHI: Ravneet Singh Bittu, the Congress Lok Sabha MP for Ludhiana, Punjab, has defected to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). This move is a considerable blow to the Congress party, which is already grappling with its footing in the state after a disappointing performance in the last State Assembly elections.
Bittu, who has served as an MP since 2009, first representing Anandpur Sahib and later Ludhiana, has been vocal about his dissatisfaction within Congress, particularly urging the leadership to discipline former Punjab Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu. His departure is seen as a significant loss for Congress, given his political lineage as the grandson of Beant Singh, a former Chief Minister of Punjab who was tragically assassinated in 1995.
Former Congress leader from Punjab, Shri Ravneet Singh Bittu Joins BJP at party headquarters in New Delhi. https://t.co/IynBfflNMj
— BJP (@BJP4India) March 26, 2024
Upon joining BJP, Bittu expressed optimism about Punjab’s future, stating, “The Prime Minister and the Home Minister always took it positively whenever I raised the issues of Punjab. We want to take Punjab forward. When the country is benefitting, why should Punjab be left behind?”
Leadership roles, including a stint as the leader of Congress in the Lok Sabha from March to July 2021 marked his tenure in Congress. Bittu’s electoral victories in 2014 and 2019 against candidates from AAP and LIP underscore his influence in the region.
The switch to BJP is not just a personal decision for Bittu but also reflects the ongoing political realignments ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. His criticism of Sidhu and the internal conflicts within Congress that he attributes to the party’s loss in the 2022 Punjab Assembly elections highlight the challenges faced by the party.
Bittu has also been involved in international controversies, such as accusing Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s party of receiving funds from individuals like Hardeep Singh Nijjar, whom Bittu labeled as terrorists and drug peddlers.
