The Punjab government is staging 'Humare Ram', the play featuring actor Ashutosh Rana.When the Aam Aadmi Party entered the political arena, it promised nothing short of a revolution in education, health, and governance. It also made Bhagat Singh, the avowed atheist revolutionary, its political icon. But politics makes even the firmest ideologies flexible. The party is now navigating the more traditional waters of faith.It first walked the Sikh path, enacting an anti-sacrilege law and giving a prominent state touch to the 350th anniversary celebrations of Guru Tegh Bahadur’s martyrdom. Now, it is turning towards Ram. The government is staging Humare Ram, a play featuring actor Ashutosh Rana. And the political turn is hard to miss. Bhagat Singh rejected religion. The AAP embraced him as its icon. Today, Ram and Sikh religious occasions are finding space in its political calendar. The education and health revolution may still be work in progress. The political one, clearly, is not.When minister Tarunpreet Singh Sond got divine reassuranceIt was a day of contrasts for Punjab Tourism Minister Tarunpreet Singh Sond. In the Assembly, Sond found himself in the line of fire from his AAP colleague and MLA Manwinder Singh Gyaspura, who took a sharp dig at him during the proceedings, telling him that the Vidhan Sabha was not a place to tell lies. By evening, however, the political heat appeared to have given way to a moment of calm. Sond sat in the first row during the staging of the play Humare Ram. In an unexpected moment during the performance, the actor playing Ram stepped down from the stage and walked up to Sond. Placing his hand on the minister’s head, he blessed him and said, “Why do you worry about the future?” It was, of course, a dialogue from the play. But for Sond, after a bruising day in the House, the timing could hardly have been more striking.Also Read | ‘RSS ke chamchon’: Warring’s jibe at Channi camp fuels Punjab Congress crisis, faces blowbackRaghav Chadha’s next address?Raghav Chadha’s meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi this week may have been routine politics, but the optics were not. Chadha made sure the meeting got ample play on social media. Coming a day after SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal met Modi, it was watched closely in Punjab. His supporters have since been dropping hints that Chadha could soon be seen more often in the state. That has perhaps added to the unease in AAP circles. Once a resident of the plush government bungalow No. 50 in Sector 2, Chandigarh, as an AAP Rajya Sabha MP known in political circles as the de facto CM, Chadha may now have to figure out a less-fancy address. But a house may be the least of his concerns. He may not have a posh government bungalow anymore, but he certainly has something that can cause anxiety in the AAP camp: familiarity. He knows the party, its organisation, and many of its leaders from the inside.‘Uncle Amarinder’, again?Congress leader Rahul Gandhi seems to have had a change of heart, at least when it came to Capt Amarinder Singh. The twist came five years after the Congress high command unceremoniously removed the erstwhile Patiala royal from the Punjab chief minister’s post in September 2021. Amarinder subsequently quit the party and joined the BJP in 2022. Now, as Congress finds itself embroiled in another bitter tussle over its state chief’s post, Gandhi appears to have rediscovered his “Uncle Amarinder”. During an Instagram interaction with Gen Z, Rahul was asked about his favourite BJP leader. His answer was “Uncle Amarinder Singh”. One wonders when “Uncle Amarinder” stopped being a favourite when he was still in the Congress and occupying the chief minister’s chair. Amarinder, however, has made his position clear that he is not returning to the Congress.Kanchan Vasdev is a Senior Assistant Editor in The Indian Express’ Punjab bureau. She is a highly experienced journalist with 22 years of expertise covering high-stakes politics, governance, and social issues in Northern India. Professional Background Role: Primary reporter covering the Punjab Chief Minister’s Office (CMO), government policies, and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leadership in the state. Experience: She previously worked with The Tribune and has played a key role in launching various city editions. Special Projects: Abandoned Brides: Authored a monograph on brides abandoned by NRIs as part of the Prabha Dutt Memorial Fellowship. Environment: Worked as a Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) fellow, focusing on the pollution levels in the Satluj river. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) Her recent reporting focuses on the legislative strategies and political maneuvers of the Bhagwant Mann-led Punjab government: 1. Legislative & Governance Standoffs "Punjab govt advances special Assembly session to pass resolution against VB-G RAM G Bill" (Dec 20, 2025): Reporting on the state's move to block the Centre's "Viksit Bharat" mission, which the state claims will undermine MGNREGA. "Punjab govt doubles down on special sessions, sixth in January" (Dec 19, 2025): Detailing the AAP government's use of special sessions as a legislative tool amid tensions with the Governor. "Punjab asks 'VIP teachers' working near Chandigarh to go back to border districts" (Dec 16, 2025): Reporting on CM Mann's move to end the practice of influential teachers avoiding postings in remote areas. 2. Political Analysis & Rural Polls "Punjab rural polls: Why Akalis are likened to dinosaurs in Punjab" (Dec 19, 2025): Analyzing CM Bhagwant Mann's rhetoric against the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) following local body elections. "AAP claims win in 78% Punjab zila parishads as counting continues" (Dec 18, 2025): Breaking down the results of the 2025 rural elections. "Rahul Gandhi and Sidhu alike, says Bhagwant Mann" (Dec 13, 2025): Covering the CM's critique of the Congress leadership. 3. Law Enforcement & Bureaucracy "Suspended Punjab IPS officer Ravjot Kaur Grewal awaits reinstatement" (Dec 10, 2025): Investigative reporting on the bureaucratic red tape involving the Election Commission and the state government. "Punjab declines to give parole to Amritpal Singh" (Nov 27, 2025): Detailing the state government's refusal to grant parole to the radical preacher and sitting MP. 4. Welfare & Economy "Punjab government's plan to add more freebies to 'atta-dal' scheme hits funds roadblock" (Dec 4, 2024): An analysis of the fiscal challenges facing the state's flagship food security program. "Mann leads Punjab delegation to Japan and South Korea for investor outreach" (Dec 2, 2025). Signature Beat Kanchan Vasdev is known for her insider access to Punjab's political executive. Her writing provides deep insights into how state policies are formulated and the friction points between the state government and central authorities. Her dual expertise in environment and law allows her to report on complex issues like the "Farmhouse Policy" (Dec 18, 2025) and river pollution with a unique policy-oriented lens. X (Twitter): @kanchan99 ... Read MoreStay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram