The Janata Dal (United), main ally of Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance, has claimed it has nothing to do with the Ram temple issue.

"The Ram temple issue was never an NDA issue; not today, nor in the future," Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar said  on Monday.

Kumar clearly said that  the Ram temple is on the BJP's issue and agenda, not that of the NDA.

He said that the JD(U) is a secular party and a part of NDA - "It was decided at the time of the NDA's formation that  issues like the Ram temple or scrapping of Article 370 were not in the NDA agenda at all."

Kumar's stand is a major setback to the BJP's revival of  the Ram temple issue, since he is a powerful leader within the JD(U).

By distancing the JD(U) from BJP on the Ram temple issue, Kumar evidently wants to send out a message to the Muslims in Bihar, who are considered to be supporters of Lalu Prasad Yadav's Radhtriya Janata Dal.