Ending speculation of him being upset on how things panned out at the opposition summit in Bengaluru, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar said on Wednesday that "we are all united" and the meeting was productive, PTI reported.
Refuting reports of hime being unhappy, Kumar said, "We are united and had a productive meeting. The 2024 Lok Sabha election results will be good."
Speaking to reporters on the Opposition meeting, the JD(U) leader said, "Everything was discussed in the meeting, everyone's suggestions came, and only after that something was announced...When the right time will come there is a possibility that more parties will join."
Speculations started doing the rounds after Nitish Kumar was absent at the joint press conference of Opposition parties, where it was announced that the alliance would be called "INDIA" or Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance.
"I was not present in yesterday's press conference of the opposition meeting in Bengaluru because I wanted to return to Rajgir," ANI quoted Kumar as saying.
Earlier in the day, senior BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi claimed Nitish Kumar was "upset" over not being made convener of the new coalition.
The former Bihar deputy CM said Kumar deliberately "skipped the press conference held after the meeting" since he felt slighted over not having been made "sanyojak" (convener) of the alliance.
READ | Nitish Kumar To Be Named Convenor Of 11-Member INDIA Coordination Team: Sources
The JD(U), however, said BJP was spreading canards and naming of a convenor for the INDIA alliance was not on the agenda of the meeting in Bengaluru.
"This is all dushprachar and rumour mongering on the part of the NDA led by the country's honourable Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The name INDIA bore the stamp of approval from all leaders present at the opposition meet," PTI quoted JD(U) president Rajiv Ranjan Singh 'Lalan' as saying.
Lalan said BJP leaders like Sushil Kumar Modi suffered from 'chhapas rog (craving for publicity)'. "Nitish Kumar is the sutradhar (driving force) of opposition unity. And a sutradhar never gets angry," the JD(U) chief said.
Meanwhile, sources told ABP News that Nitish Kumar would be appointed the convenor of the 11-member coordination team for the newly formed alliance of 26 opposition parties.
The official announcement regarding Nitish Kumar's appointment is expected to be made during the next opposition meeting in Mumbai.