Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar surprised attendees in Darbhanga when he attempted to touch Prime Minister Narendra Modi's feet at an official event, a gesture caught on video and quickly shared across social media. In the footage, Nitish Kumar, 73, approaches Modi, 74, with folded hands and bows down, marking his third such attempt this year. PM Modi, however, gently stops Kumar from touching his feet, instead opting to shake his hand. In a separate video from the same event, Modi is seen pulling Nitish closer as party members garland the Prime Minister.

This act is not without precedent; earlier this year, Nitish Kumar attempted a similar gesture in Parliament's Central Hall in June and during a campaign rally in April. The camaraderie between the two leaders has been notable since Kumar’s JD(U) became the second-largest ally of the BJP in the Lok Sabha elections, helping the party secure a third consecutive term by reaching the majority with support from allies JD(U) and TDP.

At the event in Darbhanga, where PM Modi laid the foundation for AIIMS and inaugurated infrastructure projects totaling Rs 12,100 crore, Modi praised Kumar’s efforts in transforming Bihar’s governance, distancing it from the "jungle raaj" era under previous administrations. He commended Kumar for prioritizing "good governance" and improving the state’s health infrastructure, contrasting it with past administrations’ inaction on critical development issues.