India, Nov. 11 -- In Indian political adage, it is often said that the road to Delhi goes through Lucknow, a metaphor for Uttar Pradesh's outsized importance in national politics. If the Opposition has any hope of denting the Bharatiya Janata Party in India's most populous state, it rests on the shoulders of Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav. The 53-year-old has done it once before, becoming the single largest party in the state in the 2024 general elections. A former CM - one of the youngest occupiers of the position who focussed on big-ticket infrastructure projects during his tenure - Yadav has successfully reoriented his regional outfit that was hamstrung by infighting and shifting caste dynamics after its Mandal heydays. With painst...