Patna, July 12: The alliance of the Janata Dal (United) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) would continue in Bihar, said BJP national president Amit Shah on Thursday. Shah made the statement after meeting Bihar Chief Minister and JD(U) chief Nitish Kumar over breakfast during his day-long visit to the state.

The meeting, which was held to strengthen the alliance between the BJP and JD(U), comes in the backdrop of alleged differences between the two parties mainly over seat-sharing issue for 2019 Lok Sabha polls. Nitish Kumar will later host a dinner for Shah at his residence to work out the differences.

On July 8, the JD(U) chief met national general secretaries, secretaries, state presidents and other party leaders in New Delhi where he told them that the JD(U)-BJP alliance would continue in Bihar. At the crucial meeting, Kumar also authorised to take political decisions on behalf of the JD(U).

The Bihar CM later clarified that his party will work with the BJP  only inside Bihar. “We (JD-U and BJP) are working together in Bihar but when it comes to outside Bihar there are no discussions like that. There has not been an alliance like that at the national level,” Kumar said.

Difference emerged when the JD(U) insisted seat-sharing for 2019 should be on the performance in 2015 Bihar assembly elections. JD(U) won 71 seats, while BJP got 53 in 2015 Bihar Assembly elections. However, the BJP had claimed the party would contest all the 22 seats it had won in 2014 general elections.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jul 12, 2018 04:22 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).