UP the ante

It's not just political parties, India Inc, too, has its eyes set on the upcoming Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections. That's because it believes the fate of foreign direct investment (FDI) in retail hinges on the result of the UP polls. No, nobody is hoping Congress will form the next government in the state, it's all about numbers, they suggest. If the Congress is able to improve its tally in UP, it may get stronger bargaining power in terms of introducing big-ticket policies at the Centre, especially FDI in retail, that was kept in abeyance owing to opposition from political parties after the Cabinet cleared it recently.