BJP leader Ravneet Singh Bittu takes oath as Union Minister in Modi 3.0 cabinet

New Delhi [India], June 9 (ANI): BJP leader and three-time former Congress MP Ravneet Singh Bittu takes oath as a Union Cabinet Minister in the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led NDA government.
Bittu is the grandson of former Punjab Chief Minister Beant Singh and the son of former Punjab minister Tej Parkash Singh.
He had switched over to the BJP from the Congress prior to the 2024 elections and contested and lost the Ludhiana Lok Sabha seat to Punjab Congress chief Warring by over 20,000 votes.
In Punjab, the BJP was unable to win a single seat. The Congress won seven seats, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) won three seats, and the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) won one seat.
BJP leader contested from the Ludhiana constituency in the 2024 Lok Sabha election but lost to Punjab Congress chief Amarinder Singh Raja Warring by 20942 votes.
Bittu previously won the 2009 Lok Sabha election from Anandpur Sahib seat in and then from Ludhiana Lok Sabha seat in 2014 and 2019 on a Congress ticket.
Bittu earlier said that "it is a big thing" for him to be selected for a cabinet position by the BJP-led NDA alliance, despite losing the elections in Punjab.
He added that he would prepare the ground for the BJP to win the Punjab Assembly elections in 2027 and expressed his desire to become the Chief Minister of Punjab if given the opportunity.
After attending the tea meeting at 7 LKM, BJP leader Ravneet Singh Bittu told ANI, "It is a very big thing for me that they (NDA) have chosen me in their cabinet even after losing the elections. Punjab has been given priority this time...I will prepare the ground for BJP to win the Assembly elections in 2027...Just 2 years ago, the people of Punjab rejected Congress, everyone knows the work that AAP is doing. So, people have only one option which is BJP...I would like to become the Chief Minister of Punjab if given a chance.''
Prior to him, Narendra Modi took oath as Prime Minister of India for his third successive term on Sunday at an impressive ceremony at the Rashtrapati Bhavan. Several other ministers were also sworn in PM Modi's cabinet.
President Droupadi Murmu administered the oath of office to Narendra Modi, followed by other members of his team of ministers.
PM Modi was seen wearing a full-sleeved white kurta with churidar and blue half jacket.
The Bharatiya Janata Party-led NDA secured 293 seats in the Lok Sabha elections. BJP won 240 seats on its own. In the 543-strong lower house of the Indian parliament, 272 is the minimum majority figure.
Notably, PM Modi is the second Indian leader to win a third term after former prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru. (ANI)