Lok Sabha elections: Ravneet Singh Bittu, Congress MP from Ludhiana, joins BJP

Congress MP Ravneet Singh Bittu on Tuesday switched to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. Speaking at a press conference in New Delhi, the Ludhiana MP hailed Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union home minister Amit Shah saying they have a lot of affection for Punjab.

“In the last 10 years, I have seen that PM Modi and Amit Shah have immense love for Punjab. They want to do a lot of developmental work for Punjab,” Bittu said.

“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?” he said.

Recalling the dark days of terrorism in the state, he praised the role of the BJP and the RSS in working for peace.

BJP general secretary Vinod Tawde said his joining the party will strengthen it.

Ravneet Singh Bittu was in the 27-member Punjab unit's pradesh election committee which was set up in January.

Bittu comes from a political family; he is the grandson of former Punjab chief minister Beant Singh and the son of former Punjab minister Tej Parkash Singh.

The joining comes hours after the BJP announced that it will contest the upcoming Lok Sabha elections on its own in Punjab.

"The BJP is going to contest the Lok Sabha elections alone," Punjab BJP chief Sunil Jakhar said in a video message posted on X.

Jakhar said the decision to contest on its own in Punjab was taken keeping in mind the region’s future, especially that of youngsters and farmers, after consulting the people, local leaders, and workers at the grassroots level.

People aware of the matter said the BJP’s talks with SAD broke down as the former failed to ensure an unconditional alliance. SAD’s demands included the withdrawal of cases against farmers lodged during the 13-month-long protests in 2020-2021 against the three agricultural reform laws.