The dramatic transfer of Ludhiana member of Parliament Ravneet Singh Bittu from Congress to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has despatched shockwaves via the political panorama of Ludhiana. The sudden improvement, coming shortly earlier than the announcement of the candidates is not only a giant blow to the Congress occasion, which was banking on Bittu to win a 3rd time in a row, additionally it is a psychic break for the occasion who misplaced a chief minister to an assassination try. Bittu, in spite of everything, is the grandson of Beant Singh, who was blown up by a suicide bomber in 1995.

Bittu should not solely sort out criticism for his transfer from household but additionally from shut buddies like former Punjab cupboard minister Bharat Bhushan Ashu.

Also learn: Bharat Bhushan Ashu challenges ‘close pal’ Ravneet Bittu to contest from Ludhiana

The BJP has been striving to develop its presence within the state and Bittu’s transfer will assist obtain that. The indicators have been current: Bittu spoke out in favour of the Ram Mandir consecration; remained absent from Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge-led employees’ conference in Samrala on February 11; and even made statements concentrating on Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal after he was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) over the Delhi Liquor Licence rip-off. Bittu was additionally usually outspoken in opposition to radicals and the discharge of Sikh prisoners, whereas different Congress leaders would chorus from talking on the problem.

The Congress occasion has began in search of a alternative — speculations swirl round Ashu, the previous state minister of meals and civil provides, and member of Parliament from Anandpur Sahib, Manish Tewari, because the occasion’s choose from Ludhiana.

Shouldering a legacy

Punjab chief minister Beant Singh was assassinated on August 31, 1995, by the novel organisation Babbar Khalsa International, led by Wadhawa Singh. At least 15 folks have been accused in a suicide bomb assault.

Bittu, who joined politics on the age of 33 within the Youth Congress, was fielded from Sri Anandpur Sahib in 2009. He garnered greater than 40% (404,000 votes) of the votes polled within the constituency, and defeated Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) candidate Dr Daljit Singh Cheema. In the 2014 election, the occasion fielded him from Ludhiana after Manish Tewari had proven reluctance in contesting from Ludhiana seat. Bittu polled over 300,000 votes (27.27% of votes polled). In 2019, he emerged as a winner once more from Ludhiana with 383,000 votes (36.66%). He was briefly appointed as chief of the Congress within the Lok Sabha when Adhir Ranjan Chowdhary was busy within the West Bengal election marketing campaign in 2021.

Bittu was the torch bearer for the Congress protesting in opposition to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Bhagwant Mann-led authorities. He hit the headlines after he put a lock on the principle gate of a carcass plant in Nurpur Bet village on January 25 as a type of protest; a month later, on February 27, he additionally put a lock on the Municipal Corporation constructing, as a mark of protest supporting the residents of surrounding villages, who looked for the plant the place carcasses of cattle have been disposed to be shifted.

He was booked by the police in each instances and arrested on March 5 together with Ashu, District Congress president Sanjay Talwar and former senior deputy mayor Sham Sundar Malhotra. All three acquired bail on the identical day. On March 12, a day earlier than CM Bhagwant Mann was to reach in Ludhiana, Bittu and Talwar have been detained for a couple of hours to stop any untoward incident.

Speaking of Bittu’s change to the BJP, Talwar stated that the timing allowed the occasion area to recuperate and regroup its sources behind a brand new candidate. Bittu, for his half, stated his change to the saffron occasion got here out of his want to do one thing for Ludhiana residents who despatched him to parliament twice. Predicting a majority for the BJP within the upcoming elections, Bittu stated that being in opposition wouldn’t give him the possibilities he needed. He stated he needed to be a bridge between the federal government and locals, industrialists, in addition to the farmers. Bittu opposed the farm legal guidelines strongly within the Parliament and indulged in a confrontation with former Union minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal over the now rescinded farm legal guidelines. He has additionally voiced his assist for the present farmers’ protests.

However, his change has left his members of the family stunned too. Former cupboard minister Gurkirat Singh Kotli, a cousin, stated that Bittu was a accountable man and didn’t talk about the shift with him. Party leaders stated that the transfer was possible as a result of he needed to make an influence in Ludhiana, which he couldn’t do by staying within the opposition for the previous 10 years.

Jagmohan Sharma, a detailed aide to former chief minister Beant Singh, acknowledged that it was Bittu’s personal determination to change. Sharma, who had served as District Congress president, switched to the BJP two years in the past.