Nitish Kumar in Patna on Friday. Picture by Deepak Kumar

Patna, June 14: The sparring between the allies today took on murky proportions when a JD(U) minister initially denied the BJP permission to hold party president Rajnath Singh’s rally at a school ground here on June 23, but later rescinded the decision.

The move to deprive the BJP of the Miller School ground — located on Beer Chand Patel Marg in the heart of the city — was made by the education department headed by JD(U) minister P.K. Shahi, among Nitish’s most trusted lieutenants. Shahi had blamed the BJP for his recent Maharajganj bypoll defeat.

Shahi justified his department’s move. “The ground of the educational institution is not given to political parties. It was denied to even the RJD,” he said.

Late tonight, sources said, Shahi took back his decision following pressure from the JD(U) “higher-ups”. “He was told that the issue is much larger than a rally ground,” a source said.

The BJP, whose top leadership has virtually given up hope of salvaging the 17-year-old alliance, had taken umbrage at the decision.

“The alliance is yet to be officially over but the JD(U) is taking politically motivated steps,” said Bihar BJP president Mangal Pandey. Rajnath is to address BJP workers at the June 23 rally.

The Miller School ground is ideal for holding a medium sized rally and can accommodate around 4,000 people. Earlier this year, JD(U) minister Shyam Rajak held a caste rally at the same venue. During RJD rule, the venue was frequently used by political parties. However, over the past few years, political events have been discouraged.

“During the tenure of the late Madan Mohan Jha as principal secretary of the education department, it was decided not to hire out school grounds for political events. Minister Shyam Rajak was allowed despite this ban. But our application to hold a rally there was not allowed,” said RJD MP Ram Kripal Yadav.

The souring relationship is not just confined to the sparring over a ground. Charges of horse-trading are flying thick and fast. Independent MLA Dilip Verma claimed he was offered a ministerial berth if he supported the JD(U).

“A senior JD(U) leader called me on Wednesday morning to say that I can take oath as a minister and that I would be given a Lok Sabha ticket from West Champaran,” Verma told The Telegraph.

Bihar JD(U) chief Bashishtha Narayan Singh scoffed at the charges. “The party does not believe in the culture of horse-trading,” he said.