The scale of India’s ongoing election is staggering – nearly 900 million people are registered to cast their ballots.

And there are many issues at stake, with India's economy on pace to become of the world's five largest this year.

While many have been concerned about the economy and Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s track record of reforms, national security, the rural economy and Hindi nationalism are all issues that have played a central role as Indians go to the polls.

The National's Ramola Talwar Badam was in Uttar Pradesh, and she brings perspective and analysis with foreign editor James Haines-Young in this week's episode of Beyond the Headlines.