Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Thursday mentioned engagements within the state wouldn’t have allowed him to attend the assembly of opposition leaders hosted by his Telangana counterpart Ok Chandrasekhara Rao “even if I have been invited”.

The JD(U) leader, however, refused to see the Hyderabad event as a precursor to formation of an alternative non-Congress, non-BJP front and reiterated that it would be “in national interest” if all non-NDA events come collectively.

“I don’t find out about that assembly…..I am very busy proper now, I wouldn’t have been in a position to go even if I have been invited”, said the CM who has been insisting that his hands were full with the ‘Samadhan Yatra’ and the budget session of the assembly which will commence next month.

He, however, appeared to be of the view that doors were still open for an alignment with the Telangana strongman who has renamed his Telangana Rashtra Samithi as Bharat Rashtra Samithi in what is being seen as an indication of national ambitions.

“Did he not come here recently”, mentioned Kumar, referring to the go to of Rao, popularly referred to as KCR, to the Bihar capital shortly after the BJP was stripped of energy and the ‘Mahagathbandhan’ fashioned a brand new authorities.

KCR had met Kumar in addition to Lalu Prasad, the president of the RJD which helms the seven-party ruling coalition in Bihar.

He additionally appeared to disagree with the notion that the assembly at Hyderabad, which was attended by leaders of the Aam Aadmi Party and the Left, was a dampener for what he has termed as a “essential entrance” that would challenge the BJP’s hegemony in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.

“It appears to me the meeting was held as part of a party (BRS) event. Those invited there attended. This should not be seen as a new grouping”, asserted Kumar.

Notably, Kumar has the Congress as a junior accomplice of which Lalu Prasad has additionally been a staunch ally. There are apprehensions that KCR could also be averse to the Congress which has, thus far, been the principal opposition celebration in Telangana however faces a stiff problem from a quickly rising BJP.

“Let me make it clear once more, I don’t want something for myself. But I am of the view that an increasing number of opposition events ought to come collectively in nationwide curiosity”, reiterated the longest serving CM of Bihar who has often been considered a “secular” challenger to the charismatic Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

When requested if he would tour the nation to forge opposition unity after he was by together with his ‘Samadhan Yatra’ and the meeting session, Kumar replied in a jocular vein “it’s possible you’ll then counsel to me the place I ought to go. I would oblige”.

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(This story has not been edited by News18 employees and is printed from a syndicated information company feed)