Patna, Jul 23 (IANS): Senior BJP leader and Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Modi on Tuesday put an end to all the speculation about a split in the NDA government in the state as he denied any rift or differences between the BJP and the JD-U.

He termed the reports in local Hindi dailies as baseless and told the media in the State Assembly premises that "there is no rift or difference in the NDA. We are united and intact."

He also made it clear that the BJP and the JD-U will contest the next Bihar Assembly polls in 2020 together under the leadership of Nitish Kumar.

Several stories have been doing the rounds in the political circles of Bihar saying that everything is not well between the BJP and the JD-U and it will affect the NDA. A war of words between the BJP and JD-U leaders as well as BJP leaders being unhappy over the issuing of a letter by the Bihar Police Special Branch directing that information be gathered about the state functionaries of the RSS and its 18 affiliates appeared to support what the stories said.

Chief Minister Nitish Kumar joined hands with the BJP and formed the government in Bihar nearly two years ago after dumping the RJD and the Congress.