Customised campaigning:The coming together of gathbandhan to criticise Modi

The gathbandhan leaders have also been asked to tailor their speeches according to the time of the day

In western Uttar Pradesh, candidates of the 'gathbandhan', or the Samajwadi Party-Bahujan Samaj Party-Rashtriya Lok Dal alliance, are frequently asked why these parties have come together. At least one of them, the Samajwadi Party's Hathras candidate, Ramji Lal Suman, is trying to win over voters by being honest. In his public meetings, Suman tells people the three parties will criticise Modi separately, but soon realised they cannot defeat him without joining forces. He says the candidates have been advised against calling the Prime Minister unparliamentary names when they are among the youth because the PM's credibility remains high among the