Chief minister Nitish Kumar sees the Assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh next year as an "opportunity" to build his party's base in at least five eastern divisions of the neighbouring state.

"Let our opponents cry hoarse that Nitish ji nurses prime ministerial ambitions," JDU MP and close Nitish aide RCP Singh told The Telegraph. "We're aware of our limitations. It's neither the first nor last poll in UP. The JDU is focused on building its base in Varanasi, Allahabad, Gorakhpur, Kanpur and Mirzapur."

RCP dismissed reports that the JDU was allying with Ajit Singh's RLD or backed Ajit's son Jayant Choudhary as the CM candidate. "This is all gossip. We accept we lack strength to forge an alliance with key players in UP," RCP said. "Of course talks are on for ties with non-BJP parties."

Top JDU sources said apart from prohibition, Nitish wants to nail Narendra Modi on the Prime Minister's promise of minimum support price (MSP) that affects 80 per cent of UP's agrarian population.

Before the 2014 polls, Modi had promised to pay 50 per cent more than the MSP to farmers for rabi and kharif crops. But in an affidavit filed in the Supreme Court recently, the Centre said paying 50 per cent over the MSP might ruin the economy.

Nitish has called it a "great betrayal" to farmers. Sources said he was convinced the BJP was harping on uniform civil code, triple talaq and cow protection to divert attention from real issues like MSP and employing two crore youths every year. "Nitish will intensify his campaign in the run-up to the polls to bring the campaign narratives back on track," a JDU strategist said.

Nitish's core team for UP comprises of RCP, K.C. Tyagi and Pavan K. Varma. RCP, a UP-cadre former IAS officer, was once the Fatehpur district magistrate and has worked in various parts of the state. A former diplomat, Varma belongs to UP and will be the "main theorist". Tyagi, a western UP resident, will lead the JDU's "foot soldiers".

Sources said Nitish might speak against Mulayam Singh Yadav for having "betrayed" the Janata Parivar dream, but will do nothing to politically harm either the SP or the BSP. Instead, he will do everything to nail the BJP and increase his appeal among OBC farmers. Asked about the caste equation, RCP said: "If a caste produced two chief ministers (Mulayam and Akhilesh), it does not become the biggest caste. The ground reality is different."