JD (U) to go solo in upcoming Assembly polls; to stay with BJP in Bihar

JD (U) will not contest the upcoming Assembly elections in alliance with the BJP, the party's top body decided in a meeting in Patna on Sunday.

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar-led party will go solo in the upcoming Assembly elections in Haryana, Jammu and Kashmir, Jharkhand and Delhi, leaders who were part of JD (U)'s National Executive meet said.

"JD (U) is not in alliance with any party outside Bihar. We have discussed our plan to fight elections in Jammu and Kashmir, Jharkhand, Haryana and Delhi. Leaders have been tasked with preparing grounds for contesting the polls in these states," JD (U) leader Gulam Rasool Baliyavi told ANI.

Notably, no JD (U) leader was inducted in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's new Cabinet and no BJP leader was made a minister in the recent expansion of state council of ministers.

Encouraged with its stellar performance in Arunachal Pradesh state polls, the party has decided to strengthen its presence in other states.

Maheshwar Hazari, another JD (U) leader, said: "We fought on 16 seats and won seven in Arunachal Pradesh. At the meeting, we have discussed to strengthen our party in other states in order to get national party status."

JD (U), however, will remain a part of National Democratic Alliance in Bihar and will continue to support the central government.