They say the road to Delhi is via Lucknow and that's why next year's election in Uttar Pradesh is so crucial. Prime Minister Narendra Modi stuck to the development line at the BJP national executive today, outlining a new mantra of empathy and restraint for his workers. Party President Amit Shah raised the pitch on an issue that may polarise Western UP again, much like Muzaffarnagar did in 2014. That is Kairana, a small town where the BJP alleges that Hindu families have fled in fear of the Muslim majority, a charge the Samajwadi Party government says is a blatant lie. So what is mission UP going to be about really? Development or polarisation? Or both? And is mission Uttar Pradesh for both the BJP and the Congress suffering from a decisive chief ministerial choice?
