image

Ravneet Singh Bittu

About Ravneet Singh Bittu

Facebook IconLinkedIN Icon

Who is Ravneet Singh Bittu?

Born in Ludhiana to an affluent political family in 1975, Ravneet Singh Bittu currently serves as MoS Railways and Food Processing Industries. Bittu is also a BJP Rajya Sabha MP from Rajasthan.
 
Early Life
Bittu is the grandson of Congress stalwart and ex-Punjab CM Beant Singh, who was assassinated by militants in 1995. Bittu also lost his father in a car accident when he was just 11-years-old. Notably, the 49-year-old politician is a former national-level hockey player and still remains passionate about sports.
Political Career
Bittu's political career kickstarted when he met Rahul Gandhi in 2007 and was subsequently made Punjab Youth Congress chief in 2008. Bittu became an LS MP for the first time in 2009 when he won from Anandpur Sahib in Punjab on a Congress ticket. Later, in 2014 and 2019 General Elections, Bittu won from Ludhiana, again on a Congress ticket.
 
The two consecutive wins elevated Bittu's stature in the Congress party and some even started considering him as a trusted aid of Rahul Gandhi. It is to be noted that Congress fielded Bittu in the 2017 Punjab Assembly polls from Jalalabad against Shiromani Akali Dal supremo Sukhbir Singh Badal and AAP stalwart Bhagwant Mann. However, Bittu secured third spot in this triangular contest.
 
Congress even appointed Bittu as the party's leader in Lok Sabha for a brief period in 2021, especially when Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury got busy in the then West Bengal Assembly campaign.
 
However, in a major turn of events, Bittu decided to break his decades-old relationship with Congress and joined BJP just ahead of the 2024 General Elections. BJP fielded him from Ludhiana but he lost by a narrow margin of around 21,000 votes to Punjab Congress chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring.
 
Despite being defeated, BJP overlooked its other senior Punjab leaders to appoint Bittu as an MoS and also give a Rajya Sabha berth to him.

Here are the latest news from Business Standard

Latest News

IndiGo, Air India seek relief from govt as Iran conflict raises costs

IndiGo and Air India are seeking tax relief and lower airport charges from the government as the Iran conflict and Pakistan airspace ban force longer routes and push up operating costs

Updated On: 13 Mar 2026 | 5:46 PM IST

Use West Asia crisis to push fertiliser reforms in India: ICRIER paper

With over 68.6% of India's fertiliser value chain dependent on imports, geopolitical tensions pose rising risks to supply security, underscoring the need for urgent sector reforms, ICRIER paper said

Updated On: 13 Mar 2026 | 5:42 PM IST

Dubai in wartime: Key attractions offer free entry for residents, tourists

Aquaventure World, Lost Chambers Aquarium and Miracle Garden are offering limited free entry during the Dubai school break

Updated On: 13 Mar 2026 | 5:36 PM IST

USTR investigates India, 59 others over imports linked to forced labour

The US Trade Representative has initiated Section 301 investigations into 60 trading partners, including India, to examine whether they failed to curb imports of goods produced with forced labour

Updated On: 13 Mar 2026 | 5:35 PM IST

BJP ensured peace in NE, Congress worked for 'selfish interests': PM Modi

Modi alleged Congress endangered national security by handing over the land of indigenous people to infiltrators

Updated On: 13 Mar 2026 | 5:33 PM IST

Australia training visa rules: Applicants now need sponsor approval first

Australia now requires sponsor and nomination approvals before a Training visa (subclass 407) application can be filed from March 11, 2026

Updated On: 13 Mar 2026 | 5:32 PM IST

Fitch Ratings increases India's GDP growth estimate for FY26 to 7.5%

Fitch expects growth to slow in first half of FY27, with rising inflation constraining real incomes and limiting consumer spending growth

Updated On: 13 Mar 2026 | 5:11 PM IST

LPG production up 30%, fuel supply stable, says govt amid West Asia crisis

The government said India has enough petrol, diesel and crude stocks despite the West Asia conflict; LPG output has risen 30 per cent and people are urged not to panic buy fuel

Updated On: 13 Mar 2026 | 5:10 PM IST

Eco Stabilisation Fund to give fiscal headroom to tackle global shocks: FM

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman told Lok Sabha the Rs 1 trillion Economic Stabilisation Fund will help India respond to global shocks while keeping fiscal consolidation targets intact

Updated On: 13 Mar 2026 | 5:08 PM IST

PM Modi flags off 3 train services, unveils ₹4,570 cr projects in Assam

PM Modi also laid the foundation stone of a Periodic Overhauling (POH) Workshop at Bashbari in Kokrajhar district

Updated On: 13 Mar 2026 | 5:05 PM IST

Titan's Helios Luxe brings German watchmaker Alexander Shorokhoff to India

Titan's Helios Luxe has partnered with German watchmaker Alexander Shorokhoff to introduce limited-edition watches in India, targeting the country's fast-growing accessible luxury segment

Updated On: 13 Mar 2026 | 5:30 PM IST

Selling pressure could intensify as indices breach key support levels

Nifty may slide toward the 22,800-22,700 levels, Nifty Bank towards 53,000-52,500 in the near term, say technical analysts

Updated On: 13 Mar 2026 | 5:00 PM IST

NATO air defences intercept third ballistic missile over Turkiye

Turkiyes Defence Ministry said the missile was destroyed by NATO air defences deployed in the eastern Mediterranean

Updated On: 13 Mar 2026 | 4:52 PM IST

Tata Motors secures orders for over 5,000 buses from state transport bodies

Tata Motors has secured cumulative orders for over 5,000 buses and chassis from multiple state transport undertakings through government e-bidding, reinforcing its presence in public transport

Updated On: 13 Mar 2026 | 4:48 PM IST

Rajasthan govt directs officials to ensure uninterrupted power in summer

Rajasthan has stepped up preparations for peak summer power demand, focusing on supply security, solar capacity and battery energy storage systems

Updated On: 13 Mar 2026 | 4:44 PM IST

Historic release of strategic oil reserves a limited solution, says S&P

Historic release of strategic oil reserves may only partly ease global supply disruption if the Strait of Hormuz remains closed, as the oil market remains severely unbalanced

Updated On: 13 Mar 2026 | 4:44 PM IST

West Asia disruptions to impact daily CGD sales volumes by 8-10%: CRISIL

Ongoing Middle East conflict may reduce India's city gas distribution sales volumes by 8-10 per cent due to LNG supply disruptions, though price pass-through may cushion margins

Updated On: 13 Mar 2026 | 4:28 PM IST

Jindal Stainless flags operations disruption due to fuel shortage

Jindal Stainless, the country's biggest stainless steel producer, had last week warned of possible shipment delays

Updated On: 13 Mar 2026 | 4:25 PM IST

New labour codes drive faster growth in group life insurance premiums

Group life insurance premiums grew faster than individual policies in FY26 as revised labour codes, including higher basic pay norms & expanded gratuity provisions, boosted corporate-linked insurance

Updated On: 13 Mar 2026 | 4:24 PM IST

Global investors unwilling to let go of Adani bonds despite global tensions

According to people familiar with the matter, some US-based institutional investors have also continued to add to their holdings in Adani-linked bonds in the secondary market

Updated On: 13 Mar 2026 | 4:13 PM IST