Patna, April 15: Cut up with chief minister Nitish Kumar’s alleged ploy to placate Raj Thackeray before his Mumbai visit, the BJP today censured him for the first time in its 16 years of alliance with the JD(U).

Singing in the tune of Lalu Prasad’s RJD, the BJP attacked the “tactics” adopted by Nitish for going to India’s financial capital to celebrate the centenary year of Bihar’s inception.

The state BJP chief, C.P. Thakur, said: “Nitish Kumar should not have bowed down to the bully of Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray. Why should the chief minister seek permission to go to Mumbai from a person who is talking in unconstitutional manner and is behaving like a law unto himself?”

Echoing Thakur, RJD secretary-general and MP Ramkripal Yadav said: “Nitish Kumar has compromised with the pride and dignity of 10 crore Bihar people by yielding to the bully of Raj Thackeray. It is shameful for the chief minister to facilitate his entry in Mumbai through Raj Thackeray, who deserves to be tried for treason in a court of law.”

Ramkripal said: “Why should the Bihar chief minister give explanation to Raj Thackeray? Why should he (Nitish) visit Mumbai on Raj Thackeray’s conditions?”

Before flying off to Mumbai, Nitish spoke to Raj Thackeray. He told the MNS chief: “The Mumbai celebrations had been organised by the Bihari people there. It is purely a cultural event with no political overtones.”

The BJP’s aggressive stance over the conversation between Nitish and Raj Thackeray assumes significance in the light of the growing “bitterness” between the two alliance partners — the BJP and the JD(U) — of late. Nitish had not invited the BJP leaders when he celebrated the Bihar centenary year in New Delhi last month. The BJP leaders have been kept out of the Mumbai celebrations too.

On the other hand, a section of the BJP leaders are vocal against the Bihar chief minister for “ignoring” their cadres at all levels of the governance.

The JD(U), however, interpreted Nitish’s visit to Mumbai as his victory over Lalu beyond the boundary of Bihar. “The RJD boss, Lalu Prasad, had declared that he would celebrate Chhath festival among the Biharis in Mumbai. But Lalu did not keep his words. Nitish, however, kept his promise to the Biharis settled in Mumbai by going amidst them to celebrate the state’s centenary year,” said JD(U) MLA Gajanand Shahi alias Munna Shahi.