PATNA, Oct. 10 -- Leaders from all five partner parties of the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) met on Friday to showcase unity amid simmering discontent because of the ongoing legislative council elections for eight seats -- four each of teachers' and graduates' constituencies. The meeting was attended by MPs, MLAs and Legislative Councillors (MLCs) from all NDA allies. While chief minister Samrat Choudhary, who chaired the meeting, hailed the cohesion of the alliance, some leaders indulged in "squabbling" soon after the meeting. "The meeting had detailed discussion on the unity and coordination for further strengthening the alliance. Unity is our strength, public service our resolve and Bihar's development our goal," posted the CM on social media. he didn't address the issue of the dissension that has plagued the coalition since the onset of the council polls. The highlight of the intra-alliance, or rather intra-party, rift has been two JD(U) leaders being at loggerheads. While Neeraj Kumar, a three-time MLC, is seeking a fourth term from the Patna graduates' constituency, his party colleague and strongman MLA from Mokama, Anant Singh, has decided to back his rival, Jan Suraaj Party's nominee Anuj Singh. Soon after the meeting, Anant Singh said that there was no discussion on elections and that he would continue to back Anuj Singh. His bete noire Neeraj Singh, however, didn't say anything in return. BJP leader Ranbir Nandan, who is also the president of he Bihar Rajya Dharmik Nyas Parishad (Bihar State Religious Trust Board), said that Anant Singh supporting an opposition candidate is his personal matter. He is doing whatever his prudence deemed fit," he said. Another BJP leader Naval Kishore Yadav, who is also a MLC candidate, said that Anant Singh talks anything and that he doesn't deserve to be noted seriously. The tensions in the NDA run wider. Three of the four MLAs of the Rashtriya Lok Morcha (RLM) -- Alok Singh, Rameshwar Mahto and Madhav Anand - have also revolted against the party and backed Ram Pukar Sinha from Saran teachers' seat, where alliance partner JD(U) has fielded Anand Pushkar as the NDA nominee. BJP's Aditya Kumar Jha has also rebelled and announced to contest the independently from Darbhanga graduates' seat. All this has made unity a big challenge for the NDA, which recently lost the Bankipore assembly seat in a bypoll to Jan Suraaj Party's founder Prashant Kishor. Buoyed Jan Suraaj has fielded candidates in all council seats. Despite "frictions", NDA leaders are confident that their unity is robust. BJP state president Sanjay Saraogi said that the alliance would fight the elections together. "Of the eight seats, five are currently held by the NDA and we have to improve further. NDA remains united and strong," he added. JD(U) minister Shrawan Kumar also reiterated that the meeting resolved to put up a united front to win all the eight seats. "Action will be taken against those who campaign against party candidates," he added. The real challenge this time in the council seats is the prospect of multi-cornered contest, which would reduce the margin of error. There are altogether 164 candidates in fray for eight seats, officials aware of the matter said....