The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has a new cause for concern in Bihar - schemes being run by Janata Dal (U) for minorities.

Tension between the allies has mounted after the Nitish Kumar government sanctioned land in Kishanganj district to set up a branch of the Aligarh Muslim University. The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) calls it minority appeasement and has asked the BJP to take up the issue.

"The RSS has flagged the issue to us and the govt will consider it," said BJP's spokesperson Ravishankar Prasad.

The BJP plans to ask Nitish to go slow on his minority agenda. There are fears that the minority message may displease dominant castes - the BJP's core vote - ultimately benefitting the Congress, and making Bihar and Uttar Pradesh.

That's what happened in both the Lok Sabha polls and the assembly by-election, as the upper castes drifted away.

But the JD(U) doesn't agree. "The schemes for Muslims will continue. We aren't bothered about the RSS; we don't agree with them," said party President Sharad Yadav.