New Delhi, May 10 -- In early April, I traveled to Deoband in western UP, famous for its Islamic seminary, to attend the first joint 'Mahagathbandan' rally. The road to the venue, where the three parties decided to come together to show unity and solidarity, was marked by small jathas carrying party flags, joyfully and energetically trudging to hear their leaders. This was no rent-a-crowd.

The Samajwadi Party (SP) followers wore their customary red caps, the BSP cadre were carrying their dark blue flag with the elephant emblazoned on it. And the RLD, populated by the farming community of Jats, wore green and white caps. Interestingly, the war cry of all the rallyists was the same: 'Chowkidar chor hain' -- coined by Rahul Gandhi to target...