Kejriwal’s entry into Upper House AAP’s sole objective, says Bittu

In a press conference held here today at Shehanshah Palace, Ferozepur Road, Union Minister of State for Railways and Food Processing Industries, Ravneet Singh Bittu, strongly advised voters in the Ludhiana West constituency to critically evaluate their electoral choices.

He unequivocally endorsed BJP candidate Jiwan Gupta as the most viable option for fostering comprehensive development within the region, while simultaneously issuing a cautionary note against supporting candidates from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Congress.

Bittu articulated his concerns regarding the internal stability and efficacy of both the AAP and Congress, asserting that their respective leaderships have demonstrably failed to address internal discord. He posited that a vote cast for either of these parties would inevitably lead to further challenges for the electorate. This stern warning underscored his belief that the prevailing internal conflicts within these parties would directly impede effective governance and public welfare.

Elaborating on his critique, Bittu highlighted the apparent lack of unified support for the AAP candidate, Sanjeev Arora, among city-based MLAs. He further cited Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann’s recent acknowledgement that a cabinet berth for Arora was not guaranteed, drawing a parallel to Punjab minister Mohinder Bhagat’s unfulfilled aspirations in Jalandhar.

Bittu emphatically stated, “The Aam Aadmi Party’s primary objective appears to be solely the facilitation of Arvind Kejriwal’s entry into the Rajya Sabha, with little genuine focus on substantive governance.” Turning his attention to the Congress, he painted a grim picture of entrenched infighting, detailing instances where leaders assisting the Congress candidate Bharat Bhushan Ashu faced immediate and severe repercussions from Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) chief Amrinder Singh Warring, and vice versa. He concluded that given these persistent internal divisions, any vote cast for the candidates representing these two parties would ultimately constitute a wasted electoral exercise.

Bittu passionately appealed to the electorate to cast their votes in favour of the BJP and its candidate, Jiwan Gupta, promising to replicate the developmental strides witnessed in other Indian states. He cited the recent project in Jammu and Kashmir, including the engineering marvel of the bridge over the Chenab river, as a testament to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s unwavering commitment to transformative infrastructure. He also drew attention to the iconic Statue of Unity, which he asserted has surpassed the Statue of Liberty in global recognition and visitor appeal. The Union Minister did not shy away from directly criticising both the Congress and AAP for their alleged tendency to question crucial military operations, specifically citing instances like the Balakot airstrikes and the recent Operation Sindoor, implying a lack of nationalistic resolve.

Bittu launched a scathing attack on Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, alleging profligate expenditure on stay at a five-star hotel in Ludhiana during his campaign for the AAP candidate. He publicly questioned the financial practices of prominent industrial houses within the city, particularly their alleged funding of ruling party functions. Bittu underscored that the use of government funds for such events is strictly prohibited under the prevailing election code of conduct. He suggested that any financial contributions from these industries to the ruling party implied a quid pro quo, indicating that they were potentially receiving undue advantages from the government in power.

Punjab BJP general secretary Anil Sarin, Punjab BJP media co in-charge Sunil Singla and media secretary Dr Satish Kumar were present on the occasion.