New Delhi: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar indicated that his country-wide yatra for forging Opposition unity to take on the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party in the next Lok Sabha polls could take place after the budget session of the assembly next month, news agency PTI reported. The JD(U) leader severed the party's ties with the BJP-led NDA in August last year and formed an alliance government with the Rashtriya Janata Dal and the Congress in Bihar.


Previously, the Bihar Chief Minister has said several times that he was working hard to unite the Opposition parties ahead of the 2024 elections.


He launched his state-wide 'Samadhan Yatra', aimed at reviewing the implementation of the ongoing state government projects and other schemes, from Bettiah in West Champaran district on Thursday.


When asked about his plans to visit other states for forging unity in political parties opposed to the BJP, CM Nitish said that he will complete the Samadhan Yatra first.


"This yatra will be completed by February 8. The budget session of the assembly will be there. Then I will think this over," he said, as quoted by PTI.


In December last year, Nitish Kumar addressed party workers in Patna and said, "I am working hard to unite all Opposition parties in the country. If all the parties come together and present a united fight, we can defeat BJP in 2024."


While there have been speculations and claims about the Chief Minister eyeing the Prime Minister's post, Nitish has rejected them saying he was not the contender for the post.


Nitish Kumar visited Daruabari village in Bagaha sub-division as part of his Samadhan yatra, and reviewed the ongoing government schemes in the area. Cabinet colleagues Vijay Kumar Choudhary and Sanjay Kumar Jha accompanied him.


The Chief Minister met schoolgirls and 'Jeevika Didis' -- women associated with self-help groups under the Bihar Rural Livelihoods Project -- in the village.


He instructed officials to ensure that pending works related to construction of rural roads in the area are completed on a priority basis.


Later, CM Nitish chaired a meeting of senior officials of the state administration and reviewed several projects of the government.