LUCKNOW, Nov. 12 -- Long discussed in political circles, the alliance between All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi and the Azad Samaj Party (ASP) for the 2027 Uttar Pradesh assembly elections was confirmed on Wednesday. The formal announcement, including the number of seats the two parties will contest, is likely to be made at a joint press conference in Lucknow on Thursday. The press conference will be addressed by AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi and ASP chief and Nagina MP Chandra Shekhar Azad. The alliance is expected to focus largely on Muslim- and Dalit-dominated constituencies in western UP and the Rohilkhand region. It will be interesting to see whether the alliance, despite both parties being relatively smaller players in UP politics, manages to dent the SP's minority vote bank, thereby benefiting the BJP as a potential vote-splitter. Both parties performed poorly in the 2022 assembly elections. AIMIM contested 95 seats and secured around 0.49% of the votes but failed to win any, while ASP contested more than 100 seats and polled roughly 0.13%. Uttar Pradesh's Dalit population is estimated at around 21%, while Muslims account for nearly 19%. Together, the two communities constitute roughly 40% of the state's population. AIMIM spokesperson Shadab Chauhan confirmed the development, saying, "There will be a joint press conference by Asaduddin Owaisi and Chandra Shekhar Azad at a prominent hotel in Lucknow on Thursday (November 12), where the announcement will be made about our alliance for the 2027 UP assembly polls." He said the alliance would primarily focus on Dalits and Muslims. "Our primary focus will be on Dalits and Muslims as they are the ones most harassed, regardless of which government is in power. We will ensure they receive proper respect, rights and political representation as well. The formal number of seats on which our alliance will contest will be announced at the joint press conference," Chauhan added. He also launched a sharp attack on Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav. "Akhilesh Yadav has his own PDA - Pariwar of Dhanwan and Akhilesh. He has nothing to do with Dalits and Muslims, else he won't have sent (Dhanraj Parimal) Nathwani to Rajya Sabha. He is going to Ayodhya on December 12, but has he taken permission from senior SP leaders like Azam Khan who have been part of the Babri Masjid Action Committee? Is he trying to prove them wrong? Or does he want to justify the demolition of the Babri mosque by VHP and BJP, which was a criminal act?" Chauhan asked. He also indicated that more smaller parties could join the alliance. Reacting to the development, SP chief Akhilesh Yadav said, "People of UP have made up their mind in favour of the Samajwadi Party this time." Meanwhile, UP BJP chief spokesperson Dinesh Pratap Singh said, "All political parties are free to contest from anywhere they want." However, he accused Owaisi of having no ideology other than dividing people and spreading hatred. Owaisi has been intensifying his outreach in Muslim-dominated areas and had previously expressed interest in aligning with larger Opposition fronts, though those efforts did not materialise. Azad has been working to expand the ASP's footprint among Dalits, particularly younger voters, at a time when the Bahujan Samaj Party's influence has weakened. In the 2025 Bihar assembly elections, AIMIM and the ASP, along with Swami Prasad Maurya's Apni Janata Party, formed the Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA) as a third front. The alliance initially planned to contest around 64 seats, with AIMIM fielding candidates in about 35, ASP in 25 and AJP in four, though the final numbers were lower. AIMIM eventually contested 28 seats and won five - Amour, Baisi, Jokihat, Kochadhaman and Bahadurganj - all in the Muslim-majority Seemanchal region, securing a vote share of approximately 1.85-1.9%. The ASP contested 18 seats but failed to win any, polling around 0.20-0.21% of the votes....