The JD (U) faction led by Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Saturday joined the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) at the party’s national executive meeting here.

“A resolution that the JD (U) will join the BJP-led NDA was unanimously approved in the meeting,” a senior party leader said.

According to the leader, Janata Dal-United General Secretary K.C. Tayagi moved the resolution, which was approved by all invited members.

However, a formal announcement in this regard has not been made.

“K.C. Tayagi will announce it formally at a press meet after the meeting is over,” the party leader said.

The meeting began at the official residence of Nitish Kumar, who is also the JD (U) president.

Most of the JD (U)leaders, including 70 party MLAs, two Lok Sabha MPs and seven Rajya Sabha MPs also participated.

It is a major decision in the party after Nitish Kumar last month dumped the RJD-Congress and joined hands with the BJP to form a new government in Bihar.

The JD (U) now has two factions: one led by Nitish Kumar and the other by senior party leader and former party president Sharad Yadav.

Earlier in the day, JD(U) leader KC Tyagi said that senior leader Sharad Yadav has every right to put forward his points of disagreement with the alliance, but he shouldn’t attend Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad Yadav’s programme as it will break their trust.

“Sharad Yadav is invited for the JD(U) national executive meet and he can sort out differences, but he shouldn’t attend Lalu Yadav’s programme. We will lose our faith in him, if he does so. He is one of the founders of the party, therefore, he can put forward his views in the meeting,” Tyagi told the media here.

He added that although Sharad Yadav does not agree with the party’s decisions, there is no rift in the party.

Meanwhile, ahead of the national executive committee meeting of the JD(U), the two factions of the party, one led by Nitish Kumar and the other by former party president Sharad Yadav, put up striking publicity material in Patna, leading up to a poster war in the city.

Incidentally, both factions claim to be the “real JD(U)”.

The poster put up by Sharad Yadav’s faction showcased him with “Jan Adalat ka Faisla – Mahagathbandhan jari hai (decision of the people’s court – the grand alliance continues)” written on it.

The other has Nitish with party leaders – state JD(U) chief Basistha Narayan Singh, RCP Singh and others. “Nitish Kumar hi zindabad (hail only Nitish Kumar),” said the poster.

Sharad Yadav was sacked as JD(U)’s Rajya Sabha leader when he made his charge against Nitish Kumar snapping ties with the Lalu Yadav-led RJD and forging an alliance with the BJP, to form the next government in Bihar, quite evident.