Pique, and an exaggerated notion of prestige, provides much of the propulsion for regional political parties, most them dominated by a single personality.

It is therefore, in the larger context of Opposition unity, refreshing that both Mayawati and Akhilesh Yadav have declared that their partnership will take in stride the reverse suffered when the BSP nominee failed to make it to the Rajya Sabha in the recent election from UP.

They contend that the partnership forged in Gorakhpur and Phulpur will not be impacted by what they believe was the BJP’s manipulative reaction to the defeat it suffered in those two by-elections to the Lok Sabha.

Akhilesh maintains that the BJP’s alleged misuse of money power to keep the BSP’s Dalit nominee out of the House of Elders will actually cement the tie-up.

Though she felt that a more astute Akhilesh could have averted the cross-voting that cost her party dear, Mayawati says she overlooks the result of his “inexperience”, and they will move on together.

Gestures carry much weight, so Akhilesh did well to scrap celebrations to mark Jaya Bachchan’s retaining her place in the Elders. These are rare signals, since both parties have previous bitter rivalries and point to maturity coming to the fore in the “battle” against the BJP.

True that the two wins in Gorakhpur and Phulpur cannot be seen as a game-changer, but they have sufficed to cause some tremors in the BJP.

The SP-BSP are, however, only bit-players in states where assembly polls are due, so the platform of a “united Opposition” will have to be substantially expanded if the prospects of checking the BJP onslaught are to be enhanced. A reality check will confirm that even when swept to power in 2014 the BJP won less than 35 per cent of the votes: or that a one-on-one situation could have altered the outcome.

Hence “electoral arithmetic” makes it imperative for the Gorakhpur/Phulpur experiment to be sustained if the BJP is to be pressured in coming months, and then in 2019.

It would be grossly premature to talk of another “third front”, settling for essentially two-way contests would be more attainable. It will not be easy, but then again few expected what happened in Gorakhpur/Phulpur.

The key to any essay in that direction will be other “supremos” taking a cue from Mayawati and Akhilesh, following their lead in not allowing pinpricks to derail them. Ego problems will have to be set aside ~ huge egos when Mamata, Chandrababu, Navin etc are part of the equation.

And vital to any “combination” will be the Congress, and its mustering the humility to accept that the dynasty is doomed. A new leader, perhaps from beyond Akbar Road/Janpath might be required to keep the BJP at bay ~ if that is what the people desire.