Bihar Chief Minister and Janata Dal (United) leader Nitish Kumar garnered attention by missing the grand swearing-in ceremony of N Chandrababu Naidu as Andhra Pradesh's Chief Minister in Vijayawada on Wednesday.

Although Kumar has maintained a positive relationship with Naidu, particularly during government formation discussions in Delhi, he opted to remain in Patna, raising eyebrows among both allies and opposition parties.

The ceremony was attended by several high-profile members of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), making Kumar's absence particularly notable. The BJP explained his nonattendance as being due to "other commitments," but opposition parties interpreted it as a sign of discord within the NDA.

Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) spokesperson Ejaz Ahmad suggested that Kumar's decision highlighted underlying tensions within the NDA. "This is their internal matter, but it's clear that all is not well within the alliance. We will continue to see these cracks," Ahmad remarked. He recalled that Tejashwi Yadav had foreseen such issues even before the Lok Sabha election results were announced.

Congress spokesperson Gyan Ranjan speculated that Kumar's absence was due to dissatisfaction with the recent cabinet formation and the "disproportionate allocation of portfolios." Ranjan stated, "Everyone was watching Nitish after Bihar was sidelined during the portfolio distribution. We expected this reaction, but not so soon."

Ranjan further predicted that the NDA's hold on power would not last long.

In contrast, BJP national spokesperson Guru Prakash dismissed the opposition's assertions. He emphasized the party's growing influence beyond northern India, citing their government in Karnataka and increasing presence in southern states. Prakash attributed Kumar's absence to prior commitments and cautioned against misinterpretations by the media.

The event, marked by the presence of NDA's top leaders, continued to fuel discussions about the unity and future of the alliance amid these contrasting viewpoints.