The nation is counting days for the crucial assembly polls in five states including India's largest state of Uttar Pradesh. The political parties are inking a fresh coalition with the new parties in all these states and the political leaders are locking horns against the rivals with their league of supporters. All eyes are on the Uttar Pradesh polls which will write the prefix for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls and the state, which is bound for a seven-phased election, is witnessing an unprecedented race to the reign. 

BJP, which aims to retain the reign in Uttar Pradesh amid the anti-incumbency wave, has already released the list of star campaigners for the election and has recently established a new frontier of the alliance by signing a deal with the regional parties of Apna Dal (S) and Nishad party. On the other hand, former Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh Akhilesh Yadav, who is the Chief of the Samajwadi Party, has formed an alliance with other regional parties and carrying out a fierce and extensive campaign drive. 

The Congress party is also in the race though there has been less sign of favour for the party to take over the power in the state. As Uttar Pradesh is getting ready for the assembly polls, the BJP alliance has fielded a Muslim candidate in the elections for the first time in eight years. According to reports, BJP's allied party Apna Dal (S) has released its first official candidate list for the assembly polls on Sunday in which it has announced that Haider Ali Khan will be contesting from the Suar constituency. 

Interestingly, Haider Ali Khan has quit the Congress party recently and joined Apna Das (S) through which he is now awarded a poll ticket. Haider Ali Khan is the son of Congress leader Nawab Ali Khan, who will be contesting the election from the neighbouring Rampur constituency. Earlier, Haider Ali Khan was named as a Congress party's candidate from Suar on January 13. 

However, he left the part and joined Apna Das (S) a few days ago in Delhi. He had then said, "I joined Apna Dal (S) so I can ensure the development of my constituency." It must be noted that Haider Ali Khan is the second Congress candidate to leave the party after Supriya Aron and the latter has joined the Samajwadi Party on Saturday. The assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh will be held in seven phases from February 10 to March 7, 2022. The votes will be counted on March 10, during which the results will be announced.