Mumbai, Mar 30 (IANS): The Janata Dal (United) led by Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar will debut in Maharashtra at a major function planned here on April 22, an official said here on Wednesday.

The JD-U also will have a legislator in the state with the merger of Lok Bharti Party here led by legislative council member Kapil Patil, which was announced on Wednesday by Legislative Council Chairman Ramraje Naik-Nimbalkar.

Patil said he has been appointed the Convenor of the JD-U for the state and will be anointed as Maharashtra unit President at the launch function here next month.

"Senior JD-U leaders from Bihar are expected to come and start touring the state from April 10. They will conduct meetings with various social workers, independent or party-affiliated political leaders, labour and union leaders. We are in touch with many big names who will soon announce their plans to join the party," Patil told IANS.

The party's expansion is against the backdrop to project 66-year old Nitish Kumar as the next prime ministerial candidate for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, he added.

"In the present national political scenario, only Nitish Kumar is the capable alternative to the ruling party and Maharashtra will be act as an important pillar," Patil added.

Besides ruling Bihar, JD-U already has strong grassroots and organisational presence in Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, Gujarat, Karnataka and Kerala.