Who is Ashok Mittal? Ex-AAP MP who switched to BJP 10 days after ED raid

Rajya Sabha MP and LPU founder rose from a family sweets business to build a major education enterprise, gaining prominence in AAP before joining the exodus led by Raghav Chadha

Ashok Mittal, a Rajya Sabha MP from Punjab and founder-chancellor of Lovely Professional University (LPU), joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Friday. This comes just days after an Enforcement Directorate (ED) raid on his premises, and weeks after his elevation within the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).

 

The 62-year-old’s switch marks a sharp turn in his political journey, particularly as it follows his recent appointment as Deputy Leader of the AAP in the Rajya Sabha, replacing Raghav Chadha. 

From sweet shop to education enterprise

Born in Jalandhar Cantonment into a business family with roots in Rajasthan, Mittal grew up around the family’s sweet brand, “Lovely Sweets”, founded by his father, Baldev Raj Mittal.

 

 

A law graduate from Guru Nanak Dev University, he began his career working with his brothers in the family business before gradually steering it in new directions.

 

The first major diversification came in 1991 with the launch of “Lovely Autos”, marking the group’s entry into the automobile sector. Nearly a decade later, Mittal turned his focus to education, setting up the Lovely Institute of Management in 2000.

 

That decision proved pivotal. It eventually led to the establishment of Lovely Professional University in 2005, which has since grown into one of North India’s largest private universities. Spread across a vast campus, it hosts tens of thousands of students and a large academic workforce. Mittal serves as Chancellor, while his wife, Rashmi Mittal, is Co-Chancellor.

Political entry and rise in AAP

Mittal made his way into the Parliament in 2022 as a Rajya Sabha MP from Punjab on an AAP ticket, marking his formal entry into politics.

 

He quickly became a visible face of the party in the Upper House, often defending its governance record in Punjab and speaking on issues such as law and order. He also took aim at the Centre over administrative control in Chandigarh.

 

Recently, he replaced Raghav Chadha as the Deputy Leader of AAP in Rajya Sabha, which showed his growing stature within the party.

ED raids on Mittal’s premises

On April 15, the Enforcement Directorate carried out searches at Mittal’s residence and multiple premises linked to the Lovely Group across Jalandhar and Phagwara.

 

The action was linked to a suspected money-laundering probe under the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA), reportedly involving Mittal and his son. Properties associated with the family’s businesses, including the university and other group entities, were covered.

 

His move to the BJP, coming within days of the ED action, has drawn attention for both its timing and the contrast with his recent rise within the AAP.

 

Mittal’s switch is part of a broader change in the Rajya Sabha, where seven AAP MPs have moved to the BJP. The exodus, led by Raghav Chadha, is being seen as a significant setback for the party in the Upper House, where numbers are key to legislative decisions.