Gopalganj (Bihar): Seeking to downplay the absence of pre-poll tie-up between Bihar allies JD(U) and BJP for the UP election, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Monday said it was not necessary for the parties to fight assembly polls together in other states.

"It is not always necessary for the BJP and the JD(U) to contest all assembly polls together," Kumar, also a senior JD(U) leader, told reporters.

He was replying to a question before flying to the assembly poll-bound Uttar Pradesh to campaign for the JD(U) candidates.

The JD(U) and BJP could not reach a pre-poll tie up in Uttar Pradesh and hence the two parties were contesting on their own, Kumar said.

On the speculation that absence of pre-poll alliance in UP could strain the relation between the ruling parties in Bihar, the chief minister said the two parties have strong ties for a long time and been part of the NDA since 1996.

"In Bihar too, the JD(U) and BJP have been running a coalition government for second successive term," he said, but added that it (good relations) did not mean that the two parties should have alliance in the other states.

PTI