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Politics Yearender 2022: From BJP’s record win in Gujarat to splitsville in Maharashtra and Bihar, and a Bharat Jodo triumph

Let us take a look at the unexceptional political events that were witnessed in India in 2022

Published

4 years ago

on

politics yearender 2022

By Divyansh Thakur

With 2022 coming to an end, the Narendra Modi government has just one-and-a-half years left in its second term. That leaves hopes that 2023 will see heightened political activity with the Congress’s Bharat Jodo Yatra coming up with better than expected public support.

The political sphere has been full of upheavals during the last one year. Many assembly elections and bypolls were held where the states witnessed changes in regime. Some regimes changed when a party either split or chose to swap partners, like in Maharashtra and Bihar, respectively.

Yearender 2022: Cars | Films | Trending | Sports

No surprises in spring Assembly results

In March, the election results of Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Goa and Manipur were out. The BJP retained power in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Goa and Manipur. The Aam Aadmi Party wiped out the opposition in Punjab and formed its first government outside Delhi. By the end of the year, new governments were formed in two more states, Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat. While the BJP registered a record victory in Gujarat, the tradition of changing the ruling party remained intact in Himachal Pradesh, with the Congress putting up a strong showing.

All eyes were on Uttar Pradesh as people were expecting a change, but the results surprised everyone. Under the leadership of Yogi Adityanath, the BJP once again retained power in the state. The Congress’s strong pre-poll showing in Uttarakhand didn’t amount to much as Pushkar Singh Dhami returned as CM of a rampant BJP.

Mann to Mann in Punjab

The results of the Punjab Assembly elections were unexpected. The ruling Congress in Punjab had to face a humiliating defeat. The way in which the Aam Aadmi Party government was formed under the leadership of Arvind Kejriwal in Delhi, the same result was seen in the Punjab elections.

Bhagwant Mann swearing in as Chief Minister of Punjab.

The ruling Congress was brutally defeated here. The Aam Aadmi Party won 92 of the total 117 seats in the state and Bhagwant Mann  was sworn in as Chief Minister. The Congress and the Shiromani Akali Dal were left blinking in the AAP  tsunami that smashed all regional and family loyalties in Punjab.

Read Also: Uttarakhand: Group of college girls fight each other in the middle of the road in Roorkee, video viral | WATCH

Security lapse during PM Modi’s Punjab visit

On January 5, 2022, Prime Minister Narendra Modi was on his Punjab tour when some farmer protesters blocked the road in Ferozepur on which the Prime Minister’s motorcade was to pass.

PM Modi stuck was on flyover for 15-20 mins’ – Serious security lapse in PM Modi’s security: MHA takes cognisance

Because of this, the Prime Minister was stuck on a flyover for 20 minutes. The Prime Minister returned to Delhi after the incident. He neither attended any programme nor could he address his first rally in the state after two years. This was a major security lapse.

Historic victory of BJP in Gujarat, Congress in Himachal Pradesh

Results for the assembly elections in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh were out in early December. The people of Himachal Pradesh voted out the ruling BJP and voted in the Congress with a majority. Some say the state alternates between the two parties in a long-standing custom.

In Gujarat, the BJP registered a historic victory by winning 157 of the 182 seats. This was the first time in the history of Gujarat that a political party has registered a huge victory.

Hijab: To wear or not to wear it

This controversy started from a government inter-college in Udupi, Karnataka. Muslim girl students were said to have violated a new government order mandating a dress code by wearing a hijab.

This saw many saffron organisations blockade Muslim institutions while the Muslim girls were no pushovers either. The case against this reached the High Court and the Supreme Court, the apex court returned a split verdict with one judge upholding the government mandate and the other supporting the right of Muslim girls to wear the hijab.

Nupur Sharma and the Prophet

Nupur Sharma, a BJP spokesperson, made a lot of headlines this year. She made a controversial comment on Prophet Muhammad during a TV debate leading to demonstrations against Nupur Sharma across the country.

Violence took place in many parts of the country. Later, Nupur Sharma had to resign due to this controversial statement and BJP suspended her from the party for 6 years.

Shiv Sena Split

Maharashtra’s Maha Vikas Aghadi government headed by Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray was derailed mid-term by Shiv Sena minister Eknath Shinde and 28 party MLAs. They camped in Gujarat and then to Guwahati, hosted by Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma. 

Initially, the Thackeray faction tried to pacify them, but in the end the Shiv Sena split and Uddhav Thackeray was out of power. After this Shiv Sena rebel Eknath Shinde formed his government with the support of the BJP. The legal battle between the two factions is still going on for the name and symbol of the party, which was one of the big surprises of 2022. The party had been cast in a monolith form by its founder Bal Thackeray, now split into factions though nephew Raj Thackeray had already struck out on his own in the patriarch’s lifetime.

Nitish glues up Mahagathbandhan again

Politics in Bihar lives true to the idiom which says 2 plus 2 need not be 4 all the time. The relations between the BJP and the JDU broke down and Nitish Kumar left the BJP and joined forces with old ally Lalu Prasad Yadav’s RJD.

In a single move, Nitish took the oath of the post of CM again by dissolving the entire cabinet and forming a grand alliance, pushing his ally BJP to the opposition. In Nitish’s new cabinet, Tejashwi Yadav returned as Deputy CM and his elder brother Tej Pratap Yadav became a cabinet minister.

The unpopular front

The government banned the Popular Front of India (PFI) in September and arrested more than 100 active members. The organisation was banned for allegedly being involved in terrorist activities.

According to a notification issued by the Home Ministry, the Central Government was apprehensive that the PFI and its affiliates have been involved in destructive acts affecting public order, undermining the constitutional framework of the country and terror-based governance is being encouraged. Also trying to implement it. PFI was formed on November 22, 2006 in Kozhikode, Kerala.

Beating Nitish at his own game but this time in Manipur

In Manipur this year, the Janata Dal United, the party of Bihar CM Nitish Kumar, suffered a severe blow.

Five JDU MLAs switched sides and joined the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). K Meghjit Singh, Secretary of the Manipur Legislative Assembly, issued a statement in this regard. Significantly, JDU had won 6 of the 38 seats in the Assembly elections held in March this year.

A non-Gandhi Congress chief

2022’s signal achievement for the Congress was an open election for its president. Mallikarjun Kharge became the first non-Gandhi president of the party after 24 years and after Sitaram Kesri.

Mallikarjun Kharge defeated Shashi Tharoor by a huge margin. Kharge got a total 7,897 votes while Shashi Tharoor won 1,072 votes. Many will dispute how Kharge, a Gandhi family loyalist, can be seen as an independent leader. Kharge’s newfound enthusiasm was seen in the Gujarat campaign where his quote on Ravan was misrepresented to the people by the BJP and ended up nearly decimating the Congress performance there.

Bharat Jodo Yatra

Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra made a lot of headlines this year. Initially dismissed by both the media and the BJP, the increasing numbers joining the yatra made both of them sit up and take note. Such a padayatra is taking place in Indian politics after a long time. This journey started from Kanyakumari on September 7, 2022. Covering a distance of 3,570 km in 150 days, the journey will end in Srinagar.

Opposition unity which will be needed for the 2024 campaign was fractious when the yatra wound its way through Kerala. The CPI(M) which runs the Kerala government was quick to point out the yatra was not taking UP and Gujarat seriously and was hurting Opposition unity by hurting the CPI(M). But the yatra persevered, Rahul Gandhi grew a longish beard a la Forrest Gump but unlike Forrest, the man’s resolve grew with each step. Snaking through the South, the Vindhyas and into the Hindi belt to a grand entry into Delhi. But like Nizamuddin  Auliya’s message to Muhammad bin Tughlaq: Hanuz Dilli Dur Ast. The yatra’s fine and grand, but votes will tilt the scales in 2024.

Uttarakhand: Group of college girls fight each other in the middle of the road in Roorkee, video viral | WATCH

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Punjab Congress faction games hold up who will lead party as poll approaches

The Congress leadership is expected to finalize the new Punjab Congress chief soon as factions oppose Amarinder Singh Raja Warring continuance as chief.

Published

2 days ago

on

July 4, 2026

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mallikarjun-kharge

The Congress leadership is likely to decide the name of a new Punjab Pradesh Congress Comittee (PPCC) president in light of the growing factional differences emerging within the party state unit.

The decision by party president Mallikarjun Kharge on choosing the head of the state unit is likely to be finalized after he takes note of other senior leaders’ opinions on the matter, as differences over the continuation of Amarinder Singh Raja Warring as PPCC president has led to former Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi pitching his hat in the ring.

The leadership crisis has reflected the diverging interests of opposing factions in the Punjab Congress. Channi has the backing of several party leaders including Bharat Bhushan Ashu, Gurpreet Singh Kangar, Darshan Singh Brar, and Nazar Singh Manshahia, among other supporters of Channi, while another faction is supporting incumbent chief Warring.

The Congress needs to stem the crisis soon since the state is headed for elections next year as the term of the Bhagwant Mann-led Aam Aadmi Party government winds down. Many in the party have said that having a widely accepted state leader can strengthen the organizational structure.

The delay in decision-making has caused speculation with some senior leaders meeting BJP heavyweights in Delhi. Though these leaders have dismissed any rumours of switching sides, the strain among the factions is telling on party unity. But given the way several Rajya Sabha MPs of the Aam Aadmi Party switched to the BJP, nothing can be ruled out as election fever picks up.

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Congress MP Manish Tewari says terror must end before India-Pakistan dialogue resumes

Congress MP Manish Tewari has questioned calls to restart India-Pakistan dialogue, arguing that meaningful talks cannot resume until Pakistan takes verifiable action against terrorism.

Published

3 days ago

on

July 3, 2026

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Congress MP says decades of peace initiatives have repeatedly been followed by terror attacks and calls for verifiable action against terrorism before any engagement

Congress MP Manish Tewari has questioned renewed calls to resume dialogue between India and Pakistan, saying any discussion with Islamabad must first address the issue of cross-border terrorism. Responding to an appeal by 117 eminent personalities from both countries seeking the restoration of diplomatic engagement, Tewari asked whether such talks could be meaningful without concrete action against terror infrastructure.

Speaking on Friday, the Congress leader said successive Indian governments had consistently attempted to improve relations with Pakistan, but those efforts were repeatedly undermined by terrorist attacks.

According to Tewari, governments led by P.V. Narasimha Rao, H.D. Deve Gowda, I.K. Gujral, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Manmohan Singh and Prime Minister Narendra Modi all pursued dialogue with Pakistan through formal negotiations or backchannel diplomacy. However, he claimed that each attempt was followed by acts of terrorism.

Calls for proof of dismantling terror infrastructure

Tewari said the key issue was whether Pakistan had provided any verifiable assurance that it had dismantled its terror infrastructure.

Referring to former Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf, he said a public commitment had been made after the Parliament attack to act against terrorism, but the assurance was later withdrawn. He added that similar commitments made during the tenures of former Prime Ministers Manmohan Singh and Narendra Modi also failed to produce lasting results.

Questioning the appeal for renewed engagement, Tewari said those advocating talks should clarify what specific issues they intended to discuss while the threat of terrorism remained unresolved.

References Pahalgam terror attack and Indus Waters Treaty

The Congress MP also referred to the Pahalgam terror attack in April 2025, saying it further reinforced India’s concerns regarding terrorism.

He noted that India’s position became even more firm following the attack, pointing to the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty as part of the government’s response.

Commenting on the timing of the letter seeking renewed dialogue, Tewari said India had consistently maintained that terrorism and bilateral talks could not proceed simultaneously. He also reiterated the government’s position that it would not differentiate between terrorists and those responsible for directing such attacks.

Peace remains desirable, but security comes first

While acknowledging that millions of people across South Asia aspire for lasting peace, Tewari argued that meaningful dialogue was not possible as long as terrorism remained a continuing threat.

He said India must first receive credible assurances from Pakistan, beginning with an end to the export of terrorism, before considering any resumption of diplomatic engagement.

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TVK alleges Rs 35 crore MLA bribery bid as Tamil Nadu political row escalates

Allegations of a Rs 35 crore bribery offer to a TVK MLA and an FIR against Senthil Balaji’s brother have intensified political tensions in Tamil Nadu, with the TVK, DMK and AIADMK trading accusations.

Published

4 days ago

on

July 2, 2026

By

Actor vijay

The alleged attempt to destabilise the Vijay-led TVK government has triggered a major political confrontation in Tamil Nadu, with the ruling alliance and the opposition accusing each other of engaging in horse-trading and attempts to influence legislators.

The controversy intensified after Chennai Police arrested three people on Wednesday following a complaint by a TVK MLA, who alleged that he was offered ₹35 crore by representatives of a consultancy firm in exchange for supporting a move against the Assembly Speaker. According to the allegations, one of those arrested is reportedly associated with DMK MLA Senthil Balaji and his brother, Ashok.

An FIR has also been registered against Ashok, the brother of Senthil Balaji, over allegations that he attempted to bribe TVK MLA N. Elaiyaraja.

TVK accuses DMK of targeting its MLAs

TVK alleged that the DMK has been attempting to lure its legislators for several weeks in an effort to destabilise the government.

Tamil Nadu minister and senior TVK leader CTR Nirmal Kumar claimed that several TVK MLAs, along with legislators from alliance partners, had been approached over the past 40 days. He alleged that the party had now been “caught red-handed” after the police action and accused the DMK of trying to purchase the support of a TVK MLA for ₹35 crore.

Nirmal Kumar also alleged that a close associate of Senthil Balaji had threatened a TVK legislator and further claimed that former chief minister MK Stalin and Leader of Opposition Udhayanidhi were attempting to create a political crisis. He rejected allegations that the TVK itself was involved in horse-trading, asserting that the ruling alliance remained secure with the support of its partners.

According to the allegations cited by agencies, the purported plan involved securing the simultaneous resignation of 15 TVK MLAs to bring down the Vijay-led government.

Opposition rejects allegations

The DMK dismissed the accusations, alleging that the Vijay-led government was trying to divert attention from its own shortcomings.

DMK leader TKS Elangovan said the government had failed to fulfil its promises and claimed that the TVK alliance itself was engaged in horse-trading. He questioned the allegation that the DMK would seek to engineer political instability under the present circumstances.

The AIADMK also criticised the ruling party, accusing it of attracting legislators from rival parties while questioning its commitment to public welfare. AIADMK chief Edappadi K. Palaniswami said that political manoeuvring and shifting alliances had overshadowed governance.

Alliance partners support TVK government

The TVK’s alliance partners backed the government during the controversy.

Congress MP Praveen Chakravarty questioned why the DMK was allegedly seeking to bring down the government instead of remaining in the opposition, asking why it was in such a hurry to return to power.

VCK leader SS Balaji also reiterated his party’s support for the TVK government for its full five-year term. While stating that he was not aware of the specific allegations regarding attempts to poach legislators, he said that encouraging MLAs to resign was not a healthy democratic practice and reaffirmed the alliance’s commitment to the government.

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