Lucknow, Feb 3 (KNN) Uttar Pradesh the largest state of India is going to polls.

Having almost 20% of India’s population and equal parliamentary clout, UP is the important state of India at least politically.

So the month long election process and its outcomes will be keenly observed by all – from economists to politicians; from the rich to the poor.

For a state notorious for the caste calculations and permutations, the ruling party has this time has coined the slogan   of ‘development’ as the major winner,

But the question is which way to develop?  Could only promises of more roads or some ‘metro’s suffice development?

Will only better infrastructure will address the issues of widespread corruption, nepotism and complete failure of governance?

Economists say that the roads and metros are infrastructure to sustain and develop other economic activities, mainly industry.

So if development of industries is not taken care of the Highways will become hunting grounds of hoodlums as the recent headlines indicate.

Ironically, the manifestos of all major contenders in the state election are silent on the plan for industries.

Under the much touted Delhi Mumbai Corridor, UP was to develop half a dozen industrial towns.

If properly developed and leveraged on the dedicated freight corridor, these could create enormous employment potentials for the state youth.

But the development of industry needs a facilitating Government, adequate law and order environment and above all ease of doing business.

The real situation in the state on all of the above counts need not be elaborated.

And as the growth story of Punjab, Haryana or more recently Rajasthan shows, a focused industrial policy may bring more investments in roads, power and other supporting activities.

However, the present rulers of the state think that a calculated caste / religion based agglomeration with a sprinkle of development slogan make a winning formula.

The moot question remains that will free laptops and promises of free mobile phones convince the youth population of the state to vote for the tweedledums or the tweedledees of the state politics??