New Delhi [India], June 9 (ANI): BJP leader Ravneet Singh Bittu on Sunday said that he is "very happy" to have been chosen to be inducted into Narendra Modi's council of ministers.
"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," Bittu said.
The BJP leader and three-time former Congress MP was present at a tea meeting hosted at the 7 Lok Kalyan Marg residence of the Prime Minister earlier today
"...Just two years ago, the people of Punjab rejected Congress, everyone knows about the work being done by the Aam Aadmi Party. So, people have only one option which is BJP...I would like to become the Chief Minister of Punjab if given a chance...," Bittu said.
Meanwhile, Punjab Congress President Amarinder Singh Raja Warring how defeated Bittu in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections said,"....If he (BJP leader Ravneet Singh Bittu) is becoming a minister, it is good as more work related to Punjab will be done. There are many expectations from the Modi 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 the 2019 Lok Sabha Elections, Bittu had defeated Simarjeet Singh Bains from the Lok Insaaf Party by 76,372 votes. In 2014, he defeated the Aam Aadmi Party's (AAP) Harvinder Singh Phoolka with a margin of 19,709 votes.
Bittu was previously elected as Lok Sabha MP from Anandpur Sahib in 2009 and then from Ludhiana in 2014 and 2019.
Before the swearing-in ceremony of Prime Minister-designate Narendra Modi on Sunday evening, all MPs who are set to be part of the council of ministers attended a tea programme at the PM's residence at 7 Lok Kalyan Marg.
Republican Party of India Rajya Sabha MP Ramdas Athawale who was also present at today's tea meeting at the PM residence said he will be part of the new ministers to be inducted later this evening.
"Today, Narendra Modi will take oath as the PM for the third time. It is a matter of pride for the entire country. The oath-taking ceremony will be done today, and the portfolios will be decided tomorrow. I will be happy with whatever portfolio I am given... Around 60 leaders of the NDA were present in the tea meeting today..."
PM Modi will take the oath of office at 7.15 pm today along with his council of ministers in a ceremony at the Rashtrapati Bhavan. The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) unanimously passed a resolution to elect Narendra Modi as their leader on June 5. (ANI)
