The BJP has said that its doors are "closed" for Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who dumped the saffron party a year ago, stripping it of power in the state.
The statement came after Kumar praised the BJP-led central government for its work on the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan (Clean India Mission).
"The BJP's doors are closed for Nitish Kumar. He has betrayed the people of Bihar and the BJP by joining hands with the RJD," said Bihar BJP president Samrat Choudhary.
The BJP and Nitish Kumar's Janata Dal (United) or JD(U) were allies for nearly two decades before they fell out in August 2022. Nitish Kumar then formed a new government with the support of the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and other parties.
The BJP has since been attacking Nitish Kumar, accusing him of betraying the people of Bihar by joining hands with the RJD, which it says is a corrupt party.
It is unclear whether the BJP's statement that its doors are "closed" for Nitish Kumar is final. The BJP has in the past made similar statements about other leaders, but it has later welcomed them back into the party.
However, it is clear that the BJP is not happy with Nitish Kumar for dumping it and forming a new government with the RJD. The BJP is likely to continue to attack Nitish Kumar and try to weaken his government in the run-up to the next assembly elections in Bihar.