President Droupadi Murmu has accepted the resignation of Union Minister of State for Railways Ravneet Singh Bittu from the Union Council of Ministers with immediate effect. The decision was taken on the recommendation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in accordance with Article 75(2) of the Constitution.

Bittu's exit from the Union ministry comes shortly after his tenure as a Rajya Sabha member ended on June 21. He had represented Rajasthan in the Upper House from August 2024, having been nominated to complete the remaining term of a seat that became vacant after Congress leader KC Venugopal's election to the Lok Sabha.

Bittu joined the Union Council of Ministers in 2024 and is now expected to devote greater attention to Punjab politics, particularly with the 2027 state Assembly elections approaching.

Following the acceptance of his resignation, Bittu expressed gratitude to President Murmu and Prime Minister Modi for giving him the opportunity to serve in the Union government. He said his tenure had been an honour and reaffirmed his commitment to public service, Punjab and the Prime Minister's vision of a developed India.

The resignation comes at a time when the Bharatiya Janata Party is intensifying preparations for the Punjab Assembly elections. The BJP has decided to fight the upcoming polls on its own and has ruled out a return to an alliance with the Shiromani Akali Dal.

During his recent Punjab visit, Prime Minister Modi also criticised the Akali Dal, accusing the party of prioritising its own interests instead of working for the people of the state.

Bittu, the grandson of former Punjab Chief Minister Beant Singh, began his political career with the Congress and was elected to the Lok Sabha three times. He switched to the BJP in 2024 ahead of the general elections.

His electoral record in Punjab has included both wins and setbacks. In the 2017 Assembly polls, he contested against Shiromani Akali Dal leader Sukhbir Singh Badal and Aam Aadmi Party chief Bhagwant Mann, finishing third as Badal won the seat.

Bittu later made his first Lok Sabha election appearance as a BJP candidate in 2024 but was defeated by Punjab Congress chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring by 20,942 votes.

The BJP is seeking to strengthen its position in Punjab after a relatively weak showing in the 2022 Assembly elections, when it won only two of the state's 117 seats. The Aam Aadmi Party emerged as the dominant force that year, securing 92 seats.

With the 2027 election campaign expected to intensify, Bittu's resignation from the Union ministry is likely to bring renewed focus to his political role in Punjab and the BJP's strategy for the state.