Patna, Nov 1 (IANS): Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar will not attend the silver jubilee celebrations of Uttar Pradesh's ruling Samajwadi Party (SP) on November 5.
"Nitish Kumar will be busy in administrative work during Chhath, the most popular festival in Bihar, from November 4 to 6," Janata Dal-United spokesperson K.C. Tayagi said.
Tayagi said the Samajwadi Party's state chief Shivpal Yadav has twice invited both Nitish Kumar and Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Lalu Prasad for the November 5 function.
Lalu Prasad said he is attending the celebrations.
"I will leave for Lucknow on November 4 to attend the function," he announced on Tuesday.
The SP had walked out of the RJD-JD-U alliance in Bihar last year, straining relations between Nitish Kumar and Samajwadi Party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav.
Nitish Kumar has vowed that the JD-U would contest the Uttar Pradesh assembly polls next year.