India, Jan. 1 -- In India, regional parties are not mere footnotes to national politics; they lie at the heart of its bewildering but pivotal political diversity. Outside the sphere of the two national political forces, these parties arise from specific landscapes - linguistic, social, historical - carrying aspirations that live far from Delhi. They can be myopic and obstructionist, corrupt or self-serving, but they can also be development-oriented and fierce guardians of regional pride. They complicate brute majorities, force negotiation, and convert geography into politics. In many ways, 2026 is a test for regional politics. Of the five states and Union territories set to go to the polls this year, two - West Bengal and Tamil Nadu - are g...