MANN IN THE MIDDLE

The comedian-turned-politician's euphoric win in Punjab polls was a turning point for not just the state but the Aam Aadmi Party too

- By Anilesh S. Mahajan

These days, along the national highways in Punjab, the alternating scenes of lush wheat fields in the countryside and the hubbub of towns and cities are frequently punctuated by life-size billboards of a tight-faced Bhagwant Mann, the chief minister. They proudly declare the Aam Aadmi Party's (AAP) success in delivering on its poll promise of providing free electricity. In a headturning sweep, Mann stormed into power in Punjab with 92 AAP legislators in March 2022. Perhaps the comedianturned-politician's victory was not entirely without noticerivals Congress and the Akali Dal were already engulfed in their own big crises. Even so, it was a turning point for the AAP, and a sliver of hope for a state whose struggles had been ballooning for years.