Ashok Mittal: From sweet shop roots to Parliament’s power corridors, and now a switch 10 days after ED raid
The Chancellor of Lovely Professional University, who was nominated to the Rajya Sabha by the Aam Aadmi Party, on Friday joined the BJP.
Ashok Mittal entered Parliament in 2022 as a Rajya Sabha member from Punjab. (PTI Photo) Ashok Mittal (62), a Rajya Sabha MP and Chancellor of Lovely Professional University, on Friday joined the Bharatiya Janata Party, barely 10 days after facing an Enforcement Directorate raid and just weeks after being appointed Deputy Leader of the Aam Aadmi Party in the Upper House, replacing Raghav Chadha. His sudden switch triggered political ripples in Punjab and beyond, given his rising profile within the AAP and the timing of his exit. A first-time MP since 2022, Mittal rose from a family sweets business to build a major private university.
Born in Jalandhar Cantonment into a traditional business family originally from Rajasthan, Mittal grew up around the well-known local brand “Lovely Sweets,” founded by his father, the late Baldev Raj Mittal. A law graduate from Guru Nanak Dev University, he initially worked in the family business alongside his brothers, Naresh and Ramesh Mittal.
However, Mittal was keen to move beyond confectionery. In 1991, the family diversified into the automobile sector with “Lovely Autos,” marking the first major expansion beyond their roots.
The real turning point came in 2000, when Mittal steered the family into education by establishing the Lovely Institute of Management. This venture laid the foundation for what would become one of North India’s largest private universities – Lovely Professional University (LPU), established in 2005.
With Mittal as Chancellor, LPU grew from a modest campus into a sprawling 600-acre institution, hosting over 35,000 students and employing more than 3,000 faculty and staff.
Mittal remains deeply rooted in his joint family structure, with all three brothers and their children actively involved in managing and expanding the university ecosystem. His wife, Rashmi Mittal, serves as Co-Chancellor of LPU.
Entry into politics
Mittal entered Parliament in 2022 as a Rajya Sabha member from Punjab. Since then, he has steadily emerged as a vocal and visible figure within the AAP.
His recent elevation as Deputy Leader in the Rajya Sabha – replacing Raghav Chadha – came at a politically sensitive time, following scrutiny from central agencies. On April 15, the ED carried out searches at Mittal’s Jalandhar residence as well as at multiple locations linked to his institution. According to sources quoted in The Indian Express earlier, the action at nine sites was linked to a suspected money-laundering investigation involving Mittal and his son under the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA).
Properties connected to other family members, including his brothers, were also covered during the operation.
The searches included establishments associated with the Lovely Group. These included LPU, as well as businesses such as Lovely Autos, Lovely Sweets, and a distance education centre spread across Jalandhar and Phagwara. Security personnel were stationed outside key premises as searches continued throughout the day.
Despite this, he had publicly downplayed controversies and emphasised his commitment to strengthening the party’s presence in Parliament.
He had not shied away from taking sharp positions either. He recently targeted the Centre over law and order in Chandigarh, arguing that the Union Territory’s administration falls under central control and questioning its handling of security issues.
He was also a strong defender of the AAP’s governance model in Punjab, highlighting welfare measures such as free electricity for a majority of households, financial assistance schemes, and expanded healthcare coverage.
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