With the relative weakening of identity politics through this decade in the Hindi heartland states, and particularly following Nitish Kumar’s victory in Bihar, it looked as if developmental issues might play a more central role in the campaign for the UP assembly elections due next year. Last year, the backwardness of Bundelkhand generated considerable “politics of development” between the BSP and the Congress, forcing the former to take some action. Over the last six months, concerns such as land acquisition, law and order, corruption and urbanisation assumed importance as political parties began to flag off their campaigns.