Patna: Differences surfaced in the JDU (Janata Dal-United) over continuance of its ties with the BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) in Bihar with its senior leader Dr Jagannath Mishra urging the State JDU leadership to review its decision and firm up a new alliance to provide an alternative to the RJD (Rashtriya Janata Dal)-Congress combine in the State.

In a letter addressed to JDU's State president Vijendra Prasad Yadav, Mishra said today (Oct 26, 2004) it would be "suicidal" for the party to continue the poll pact with the BJP during the coming Assembly poll in Bihar after L K Advani assuming the charge as its president.

"The NDA (National Democratic Alliance) was formed to run the Government at the Centre and after being voted out, the alliance be disbanded," he said.

He alleged that the BJP policy "to divide people on the basis of caste and creed" had cornered the development plank pursued by the JDU leading to the debacle in the recent polls.

"The party's commitment to development would sound credible only when peace and social amity are maintained," he said and demanded that steps be taken to project JDU as a "strong and vibrant" alternative to, what he described as the "directionless RJD-Congress Government in Bihar."

Senior JDU leader Nitish Kumar, on the other hand, asserted that the alliance between BJP and JDU was "firmly in place and we want to further strengthen the partnership" even after Advani's elevation as the BJP president.

"The alliance between JDU and BJP is firmly in place and, in fact, we will deliberate on how to further strengthen this partnership during our three-day training camp at Rajgir beginning from today," Kumar said.