Indian PM's opponents join forces for key regional election

Prime Minister Narendra Modi waves towards the crowd as he leaves after attending the Republic Day parade in New Delhi, India January 26, 2017. REUTERS/Adnan Abidi

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - Two of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's main political opponents opened their joint campaign on Sunday to win a crucial election in Uttar Pradesh, India's most populous state, which heads to the polls next month.

Home to 200 million people and India's most important region politically, Uttar Pradesh will help shape Modi and his Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) chances of winning a second term in national elections in 2019.