Patna: The ruling Janata Dal United (JD-U) in Bihar headed by chief minister Nitish Kumar appeared headed for a split on Wednesday, with former party president Sharad Yadav scheduled to begin his statewide tour from Thursday, apparently over the break-up of the erstwhile Grand Alliance.

Yadav has already supported Congress leader Ahmed Patel in the Rajya Sabha elections in Gujarat.

During the three-day tour of the state, Yadav who is also a Rajya Sabha member, will hold direct interactions with supporters and seek their opinions about Kumar’s move to form a government with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), after splintering from the Grand Alliance, which was given the mandate to rule by voters.

Yadav will stay in Bihar for three days during which he will tour some 20-odd areas.

“[More than] 110 million people in the state had reposed faith in the Grand Alliance. Now I am going to hold direction interaction with the masses from tomorrow,” Yadav told the media on Wednesday.

Based on the people’s opinions, Yadav will decide over the next court of action, sources close to him said. He is miffed with the chief minister after he took a “unilateral” decision to form government with the BJP.

In a twist to the developments, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad has lent his full support to Sharad Yadav and has announced to support the JD-U led by him.

“The JD-U led by Sharad Yadav is the real JD-U and my party will support him. Also, our party alliance will continue with Yadav-led outfit,” Prasad told journalists.

The RJD chief also alleged the JD-U of Chief Minister Kumar had planned to disturb Yadav’s programmes in Bihar, and the party’s agents could hurl shoes or slippers at him.

“But, we are with Sharad Yadav,” Prasad declared.

Reports say the RJD chief has asked his party men to lend full support to Yadav to make his Bihar tour programme a grand success.

The ruling JD-U in Bihar has termed Yadav’s move as “anti-party” and threatened to initiate action against him.

“At no cost will we tolerate Yadav’s move to oppose the decision taken by chief minister Nitish Kumar and will initiate suitable action,” warned JD-U spokesperson Ajay Alok.

State JD-U chief Vashishtha Narayan Singh too has described Yadav’s activities as totally against the party line. “Whatever he is doing has not the consent of the party. That may invite suitable action,” he said.

That Yadav has revolted against the party leadership became clear on Tuesday when the lone JD-U lawmaker in the Gujarat assembly Chhotubhai Vasava voted in favour of Congress’s candidate Ahmed Patel, ignoring the party’s whip to vote for the BJP candidate. Vasava is said to be from Yadav camp. In a quick action, the JD-U leadership has removed Arun Srivastava as party’s general secretary. He was instrumental in making the party lawmaker vote for the Congress.

Yadav’s closeness with the Congress is underlined from the fact that soon after Patel’s victory in the RS polls, he rushed to meet Patel and congratulated him on his victory. “Heartiest congratulations on your victory in Rajya Sabha election in spite of toughest hurdles. Wish you all success in your career,” Yadav tweeted today and also posted a photo with the Congress leader.

A large number of JD-U leaders are reported to be angry with Kumar over his move to form government with the BJP and may join the Yadav camp if the party split.