Two days after his Rajya Sabha term ended on June 21, Minister of State for Minorities George Kurian was dropped from the council of ministers by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday. But Ravneet Bittu, the former Ludhiana MP and sitting Minister of State for Railways and Food Processing, was not dropped from the council though the Rajya Sabha term of both the leaders ended the same day.
Why George Kurian Resigned and Ravneet Bittu Did Not
Bittu was a Rajya Sabha member from Rajasthan and was not re-nominated to the House recently. Kurian was also not re-nominated as his term from Madhya Pradesh ended. According to The Wire, along with Kurian, Ravneet Singh Bittu whose term ended on June 21, has not been renominated. In the previous Modi government, the BJP's lone Muslim minister, Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, resigned after his Rajya Sabha term ended.
With Bittu not having been asked to resign, speculation is rife on whether the PM will ask him to go at all considering he is a senior Jat Sikh leader from Punjab that goes to the polls next year. According to The New Indian Express, it is allegedly believed that PM Modi will ask Bittu to continue his duty, eyeing the Punjab Assembly elections that are scheduled to take place next year.
Speculation Around Cabinet Reshuffle
The situation has fueled speculation about a possible cabinet reshuffle. According to an Instagram post, Ravneet Singh Bittu and George Kurian have not been re-nominated to the Rajya Sabha, fueling speculation about a possible cabinet reshuffle.
"Ravneet Singh Bittu saves his Ministry! Ravneet Singh Bittu Rajya Sabha tenure expired on 21st June but His resignation is not accepted." — Akashdeep Thind on X
Our Take: Political Calculations Behind the Decision
In our view, this is a clear example of political strategy over procedure. While both ministers lost their Rajya Sabha seats on the same day, only George Kurian was asked to resign. The reason seems straightforward: Bittu is a senior Jat Sikh leader from Punjab, a state that will hold elections next year. The BJP likely sees him as a valuable asset for the upcoming polls. Kurian, on the other hand, was the BJP's lone Christian minister, and his removal may reflect a different set of priorities. This decision shows that in politics, electoral considerations often outweigh constitutional norms. Readers should watch for whether Bittu is eventually renominated to the Rajya Sabha or if the government finds another way to keep him in the cabinet.
