Patna, Jan 22 (IANS): The rift between the Janata Dal(United) and BJP -- two major alliance partners of Bihar-- is apparently widening with each passing day ahead of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections.

JD(U) has decided to contest the Assembly election alone with CM Nitish Kumar campaigning against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and UP CM Yogi Adityanath.

Meanwhile, the national president of JD(U) Lalan Singh on Saturday released the first list of 26 candidates for the polls in Delhi.

The party finalised the list of 51 candidates for the polls after the talks between union Steel Minister RCP Singh who was authorised by JD(U) to negotiate with BJP top leadership in the rank of Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, BJP national president JP Nadda and Dharmendra Pradhan failed.

"We have issued the list of 26 candidates who are contesting in first and second phase of Uttar Pradesh election. We have already shortlisted the name of the candidates which will be announced at an appropriate time," said K.C. Tyagi, the national general secretary of JD(U) and in charge of Uttar Pradesh.

In the wake of the change in political equations, the stand of Nitish Kumar, who was critical of PM Modi before 2015 Bihar Assembly polls, would be interesting in view of the "DNA" politics they indulged in in the past.

During July 25, 2015 Parivartan rally in Muzaffarpur Bihar, Prime Minister Modi had lashed out at Kumar saying: There seems to be some problem in his (Nitish Kumar) DNA because the DNA of politics is not like this.

In a retort, Nitish Kumar had stated: "I am a son of Bihar and my DNA is similar to that of the people of the state."

Currently, the BJP and JD(U) are coalition partners in Bihar government sharing 74 and 45 seats respectively.