JDU leaders are wary over RJD chief Lalu Prasad's declaration in Rajgir that he and Nitish Kumar would fight the 2019 Lok Sabha polls together.

"The only thing which is holding the alliance together is political compulsion of remaining united to fight the BJP," a JDU MLC said under cover of anonymity for obvious reasons. "Otherwise, the manner in which RJD leaders are making public statements against Nitish, the alliance should have collapsed months ago."

The MLC pointed out how the RJD did not censure MLA Bhai Birendra, who had called JDU national general secretary RCP Singh "corrupt".

On Tuesday, at the party workers' training camp in Rajgir, Lalu had said: "In 2014 we got just four seats and lost many seats by narrow margins because Nitish and I were fighting separately. It is not going to happen in 2019."

Though Nitish has kept himself aloof from the frequent war of words between JDU and RJD leaders, patience in the Dal is wearing thin.

"Not even a block-level leader from the JDU camp has ever publicly criticised Lalu or his sons," said a JDU spokesperson. "But from the RJD, senior leaders such as Raghuvansh Prasad Singh shame even the Opposition when it comes to attacking Nitish Kumar."

Lalu and his younger son Tejashwi Yadav have told party leaders at regular intervals to desist from making snide remarks against Nitish or other JDU members, but many JDU leaders hold the RJD chief responsible for the regular war of words.

"Raghuvansh has been criticising Nitish openly even before the two parties went into an alliance," said another JDU spokesperson. "We have publicly demanded action against him from Lalu, but nothing happened. Had he taken some action against Raghuvansh, leaders like Bhai Birendra and Ramanuj Prasad would not have dared to make public statements against Nitish ji."

Birendra has been questioning the silence of the JDU and Nitish over attacks on Lalu from BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi. The RJD MLA even alleged JDU's connivance in the series of charges against the RJD chief and his family members. Similarly, RJD MLA Ramanuj Prasad has alleged that Nitish was instrumental in marginalising the role of legislators and giving bureaucrats the last say even on development issues related to the legislators' constituencies. Some RJD MLAs have openly complained against discrimination against party MLAs in transfer and postings of officials, leading to angry retorts from the JDU.

"Transfer and postings are the prerogative of the chief minister. There can be no compromise on it," said JDU MLC Neeraj Kumar.

Leaders like Raghuvansh, Birendra and Ramanuj may have their personal axes to grind but why is Lalu silent, asked some Dal leaders.

"What sort of party is Lalu ji leading where his leaders do not follow his orders to resist from making public statements?" asked a JDU leader.