Chandigarh:- Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann and Minister of State for Railways Ravneet Singh Bittu, who were once best friends, have now become rivals. Talking to media persons today, Mann said that Bittu will soon not only lose his ministry but also his Rajya Sabha seat. He said, "They (referring to the top leadership of the BJP) have asked him to prove his political mettle by contesting and winning the assembly elections. That is why he is saying 'enough of Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha'."
Mann and Bittu, who became friends long before the Aam Aadmi Party came to power in 2022 and Mann became the Chief Minister, had been close friends till recently. If insiders are to be believed, the two used to talk to each other often and exchange not only political things but also their personal issues. But now, as both the AAP and the BJP are entering election mode, their personal friendship seems to be sacrificing their personal politics.
Their differences came to the fore on the day of the urban local body elections last month, when Bittu entered Mann’s strongholds Dhuri and Sangrur to support BJP leader Professor Onkar Singh. Onkar Singh was arrested by the Sangrur police for illegally staying in the Sangrur constituency, even though he was not a voter there.
Onkar, once one of Mann’s closest aides, was appointed as Mann’s OSD after he became the chief minister. He was later removed from the post. Over time, he joined the BJP and has been politically active in Mann’s constituency Dhuri. The Chief Minister did not like Bittu's support for Onkar in Mann's home constituency, which has increased the bitterness between the two leaders, who were once good friends.