The prospect of introduction and passage of the women's reservation bill next Monday has split the JD(U) with Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar extending his support while party president Sharad Yadav sticking to his old stand.

"When I was a member of the joint parliamentary committee, I had given a dissent note (more than a decade ago). Now the time has come to give women reservation in parliament and state assemblies. I will talk to Sharadji and appeal to him to ensure passage of the bill," Kumar told reporters in Patna.

On the other hand, Yadav, a strong opponent of the bill ever since its introduction in 1997, said his party's opposition to the measure in its present form would continue.

When told about Nitish Kumar's support to the bill he reportedly told media persons that that could be the chief minister's personal view". He asserted that he was "the president" of the party.

It would be interesting to see how the party members act when the bill is introduced in Rajya Sabha on Monday.