A loud campaign around fears that the Electronic Voting Machines could be manipulated had put Ms Mayawati and her bitter rival Akhilesh Yadav on the same side of the EVM debate. There may be something else that the two leaders agree on: a grand alliance. In less than 24 hours after Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati told her supporters that the party was ready to work with other parties "to save democracy", her rival, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav has welcomed the offer. "There should be a grand alliance. We are in favour of it," Mr Yadav said on Saturday.
