Union Minister of State Ravneet Singh Bittu has resigned from the Union Council of Ministers. His resignation has been accepted by President Droupadi Murmu, bringing an end to his tenure as Minister of State for Railways and Minister of State for Food Processing Industries.
Bittu’s resignation comes weeks after he ceased to be a Member of Parliament. The BJP had decided not to renominate him to the Rajya Sabha after his term ended on June 21. Instead, the party nominated senior BJP leader Tarun Chugh from Amritsar to the Upper House.
Under constitutional provisions, Bittu could have continued as a Union Minister for up to six months without being a Member of Parliament, meaning he was eligible to remain in office until December 21. However, he chose to step down well before that deadline.
Political observers believe the move could signal the BJP’s strategy for the 2027 Punjab Assembly elections, with speculation that Bittu may take on a more active role in the state’s politics and could contest the upcoming Assembly polls.
Ravneet Singh Bittu, the grandson of former Punjab Chief Minister Beant Singh, contested the 2024 Lok Sabha election from Ludhiana on a BJP ticket but was defeated. Following the election, the BJP facilitated his entry into Parliament through the Rajya Sabha from Rajasthan, enabling him to serve in the Union Cabinet until the completion of his Rajya Sabha term.
Bittu’s resignation is expected to fuel fresh political speculation in Punjab, where all major parties have already begun preparing for the 2027 Assembly elections.
