New Delhi: In yet another setback to the Congress in Punjab, Ravneet Singh Bittu, Congress MP from Ludhiana, on Tuesday joined the BJP ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. After joining the BJP, Bittu thanked PM Modi and said he is confident that PM Modi shares a lot of love for Punjab. PM Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah want to do a lot of development work in the state, he added.
"I am thankful to PM Narendra Modi...I can say with confidence that PM Modi and Union Home Minister share a lot of love for Punjab and they wish to do a lot for the state...Why should Punjab be left behind?, "said Bittu.
Bittu is the grandson of former Punjab chief minister Beant Singh, a hero of anti-terrorism campaign in the state who was assassinated in a terror attack while still in office. He currently represents Ludhiana in the outgoing Lok Sabha. He said the people have made up their mind to elect the BJP to power at the Centre in the Lok Sabha polls, adding there is a need to plug the gap as Punjab has been left behind by other states.
"We will work as bridge for the farmers, workers, industry...," he said. Recalling the dark days of terrorism in the state, he praised the role of the BJP and the RSS in working for peace. BJP general secretary Vinod Tawde said his joining the party will strengthen it. The BJP is gearing up to fight the polls in Punjab on its own for the first time in recent decades after a split in ties with the Akali Dal, one of its oldest allies. While talks were on between the two parties to revive their ties, it did not work out.
