Kejriwal, Murmu and Kharge: The three faces that defined politics this year

It was the Punjab election that launched the first face of 2022: the apparently unstoppable rise of Arvind Kejriwal, chief minister of Delhi, leader of AAP and disruptionist extraordinaire

If politics in 2022 were to be defined by faces, three would stand out straightaway, for the change they represent for India in the years to come.

The year started (February) with elections to five states, including Uttar Pradesh and Punjab. Many analysts claim that the Uttar Pradesh election, which resulted in a second term for incumbent Yogi Adityanath-led Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government, showed a new trend that would repeat itself later in the year in the Gujarat elections – a vote for incumbency suggesting Indians were evaluating and rewarding performance over the colour of the government.

It was the Punjab