Politics is playing out even over an invitation extended for a feast of dahi-chura (curd & beaten rice) and tilkut, normally served to celebrate Makarsankranti.

JDU state president Bashishtha Narayan Singh on Thursday declared that he would invite senior BJP leaders and his "BJP colleagues" to the feast he would host at his residence on January 15.

The invite has become the talking point in Patna's political circles. The JDU hosts this event annually and last year the invitation was confined to leaders of the Grand Alliance.

The invite to the BJP is seen as part of the "goodwill gestures" being exchanged between the party and its former ally, the JDU, ever since chief minister Nitish Kumar came out strongly in favour of demonetisation. Prime Minister Narendra Modi reciprocated by backing Nitish's prohibition law while addressing the finale of the Prakash Utsav at Gandhi Maidan on January 5.

The BJP, which had previously been focusing on the "Talibani" provisions in the anti-liquor law, has since said it would support the state government's human chain in favour of the ban scheduled for January 21.

The latest gesture in the form of the Makarsankranti invite has caused heartburn in the NDA. "I am with the NDA, not the BJP. The BJP should explain how suddenly they are supporting a law they dubbed as Talibani," said former chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi.

The invitation from Bashishtha appears to have caught BJP leaders unaware. "The invitation has to go beyond making a press statement," said senior BJP leader Nand Kishore Yadav, pointing out that party leaders would be busy hosting their own feasts on January 14 and 15.

Another senior leader declared that he had not received a formal invitation and would consider it after receiving it. "But something appears to be cooking at the Centre. So far the state party leadership has not been given any indication," he remarked.

RJD chief Lalu Prasad, who is hosting a similar feast at 10 Circular Road on January 10, played down the invitation extended to the BJP. "I also invite BJP leaders to my feast. But no one turns up. They appear to be scared of me," he said even as former Union minister and senior RJD leader Raghuvansh Prasad Singh declared that the feat hosted by Lalu was for the common masses. "Other feasts are thrown for the select few," Raghuvansh, who has been making barbs on Nitish's "proximity" to the BJP, added.

Last year, Nitish went to the feast hosted by Lalu; the RJD chief reciprocated by attending the JDU's party.

In Bihar, Iftar parties and politics have gone together. The appearance of leaders at the Iftar party thrown by leaders of rival political parties was considered as an indication of alliances in the making. Nitish and Lalu usually made their appearance at Iftars held at each other's official residences.

After the 2005 February state legislature polls, which resulted in a hung Assembly, the Iftar thrown by LJP chief Ram Vilas Paswan was at the centre of political speculation - if Nitish Kumar would attend it. Nitish made his appearance late in the evening, but the alliance did not take place and another round of elections had to be held.

Now even the innocuous feast held on Makarsankranti is being scrutinised by political circles.