Ravneet Singh Bittu quits Union Cabinet, sets sights on state politics ahead of Punjab polls
Bittu, the grandson of former Punjab Chief Minister Beant Singh, built his political career in the Congress, winning three consecutive Lok Sabha terms from Anandpur Sahib in 2009 and Ludhiana in 2014 and 2019.
- Jul 24, 2026,
- Updated Jul 24, 2026 10:27 PM IST
Union Minister of State for Railways and Food Processing Industries Ravneet Singh Bittu resigned from the Union Council of Ministers on Friday, bringing a quiet end to his central stint as he prepares to pivot toward state politics in Punjab. President Droupadi Murmu accepted his resignation with immediate effect under Clause (2) of Article 75 of the Constitution of India.
The official exit follows the expiration of Bittu’s Rajya Sabha tenure on June 21, 2026. Nominated from Rajasthan, the 50-year-old leader represented the Upper House from August 2024 to June 2026.
Reflecting on his tenure in a post on X, Bittu wrote: “I express my heartfelt gratitude to Hon'ble President Smt. Droupadi Murmu Ji and Hon'ble Prime Minister Narendra Modi Ji for giving me the opportunity to serve the nation as Minister of State in the Government of India.”
In a subsequent statement, he added: “It has been an honour to serve the people of India, especially my beloved Punjab. I remain committed to the ideals of service, nationalism, and the vision of a Viksit Bharat under the leadership of Hon'ble Prime Minister Narendra Modi Ji. My journey of public service continues with renewed dedication.”
The strategic departure aligns with Bittu’s explicit desire to redirect his focus to ground-level politics in his home state ahead of the upcoming Assembly elections. Speaking last month, he signalled his intent to transition out of Parliament after nearly two decades in the national capital:
"It has been 17 years in Delhi (Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha). Now I feel like coming to Vidhan Sabha and work for Punjab."
Highlighting the party's readiness to campaign aggressively across the state, he added: "Our entire leadership is present here today and fully ready to serve Punjab. Assign us the task, we will go to villages, street to street for the betterment of the state and will knock on the door of every house. Our real aim is to connect with the people at the ground level by becoming Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji's soldiers."
Bittu, the grandson of former Punjab Chief Minister Beant Singh, built his political career in the Congress, winning three consecutive Lok Sabha terms from Anandpur Sahib in 2009 and Ludhiana in 2014 and 2019. He served as the leader of the Congress party in the Lok Sabha in 2021 before switching allegiances to the BJP in March 2024 ahead of the general elections.
Contesting on a BJP ticket from Ludhiana in 2024, Bittu lost to Punjab Congress chief Amarinder Singh Raja Warring by a margin of 20,942 votes. Despite the electoral setback, the BJP leadership inducted him into the Union Council of Ministers in June 2024 and subsequently routed him to Parliament via a Rajya Sabha seat from Rajasthan.
With the BJP signalling its intent to contest the Punjab Assembly elections independently without entering into an alliance with the Shiromani Akali Dal, Bittu’s shift back to the state positions him as a prominent face for the party’s outreach efforts across Punjab.
Union Minister of State for Railways and Food Processing Industries Ravneet Singh Bittu resigned from the Union Council of Ministers on Friday, bringing a quiet end to his central stint as he prepares to pivot toward state politics in Punjab. President Droupadi Murmu accepted his resignation with immediate effect under Clause (2) of Article 75 of the Constitution of India.
The official exit follows the expiration of Bittu’s Rajya Sabha tenure on June 21, 2026. Nominated from Rajasthan, the 50-year-old leader represented the Upper House from August 2024 to June 2026.
Reflecting on his tenure in a post on X, Bittu wrote: “I express my heartfelt gratitude to Hon'ble President Smt. Droupadi Murmu Ji and Hon'ble Prime Minister Narendra Modi Ji for giving me the opportunity to serve the nation as Minister of State in the Government of India.”
In a subsequent statement, he added: “It has been an honour to serve the people of India, especially my beloved Punjab. I remain committed to the ideals of service, nationalism, and the vision of a Viksit Bharat under the leadership of Hon'ble Prime Minister Narendra Modi Ji. My journey of public service continues with renewed dedication.”
The strategic departure aligns with Bittu’s explicit desire to redirect his focus to ground-level politics in his home state ahead of the upcoming Assembly elections. Speaking last month, he signalled his intent to transition out of Parliament after nearly two decades in the national capital:
"It has been 17 years in Delhi (Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha). Now I feel like coming to Vidhan Sabha and work for Punjab."
Highlighting the party's readiness to campaign aggressively across the state, he added: "Our entire leadership is present here today and fully ready to serve Punjab. Assign us the task, we will go to villages, street to street for the betterment of the state and will knock on the door of every house. Our real aim is to connect with the people at the ground level by becoming Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji's soldiers."
Bittu, the grandson of former Punjab Chief Minister Beant Singh, built his political career in the Congress, winning three consecutive Lok Sabha terms from Anandpur Sahib in 2009 and Ludhiana in 2014 and 2019. He served as the leader of the Congress party in the Lok Sabha in 2021 before switching allegiances to the BJP in March 2024 ahead of the general elections.
Contesting on a BJP ticket from Ludhiana in 2024, Bittu lost to Punjab Congress chief Amarinder Singh Raja Warring by a margin of 20,942 votes. Despite the electoral setback, the BJP leadership inducted him into the Union Council of Ministers in June 2024 and subsequently routed him to Parliament via a Rajya Sabha seat from Rajasthan.
With the BJP signalling its intent to contest the Punjab Assembly elections independently without entering into an alliance with the Shiromani Akali Dal, Bittu’s shift back to the state positions him as a prominent face for the party’s outreach efforts across Punjab.