The JDU on Sunday intensified its criticism of partner BJP for the alleged poaching of its MLAs in Arunachal Pradesh and also lambasted the ploy to foster hatred in the name of “love jihad”, increasing the disquiet in the Bihar alliance.

Chief minister Nitish Kumar abdicated the post of JDU national president in favour of party leader R.C.P. Singh, signalling that he would focus on national politics at a time the party finds itself hemmed in by the BJP.

“Our party has expressed deep anguish over the developments in Arunachal Pradesh in which six of our (seven) MLAs have joined the BJP. It is not a good sign for coalition politics. We are deeply hurt. We express our sadness, pain, objection, opposition and anger,” JDU secretary-general K.C. Tyagi said.

Talking to journalists after the conclusion of the two-day national executive of the party, Tyagi said the JDU had requested Union home minister Amit Shah and BJP national president J.P. Nadda to include its Arunachal MLAs in the cabinet. The JDU and the BJP are not in an alliance in the northeastern state.

“It is a sorry thing that instead of including (the JDU) in the cabinet, they (the BJP) included it in their party. This is against the basic spirit of coalition dharma. It should not have done this. Love, brotherhood and harmony are the basis of coalition politics,” Tyagi added.

“The alliance was at its zenith during the tenure of Atal Bihari Vajpayee. His was the atal dharma (unwavering ethics) of coalition politics. Twenty-three parties were a part of it, but there was no contradiction among them,” Tyagi said.

The JDU also attacked the BJP over the recent “love jihad” politics and framing of laws against it in BJP-ruled states. “An atmosphere of hatred is being created in the country on the issue of love jihad. Our Constitution allows two adults to choose their life partners irrespective of caste, creed, religion, or region,” Tyagi said.