Patna: CM Nitish Kumar, whose party JD(U) is a key ally of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA), on Saturday skipped the 10th governing council meeting of the NITI Aayog, chaired by Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi in New Delhi.His absence has triggered fresh speculation in the state’s political circles.Senior leaders of the opposition Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and Congress described the chief minister’s absence as “unfortunate” and suggested it carried “a deeper political message”.This is not the first time Kumar has missed a NITI Aayog meeting. He also skipped the 2023 governing council session. In 2024, the trend continued with Bihar being represented instead by deputy chief ministers Samrat Choudhary and Vijay Kumar Sinha – both from the BJP.The high-level meeting, held at Bharat Mandapam in the national capital, was themed ‘Viksit Rajya for Viksit Bharat @2047′. It brought together chief ministers, lieutenant governors and Union ministers to discuss long-term development strategies.However, Kumar’s absence stood out, particularly as he leads a govt backed by the BJP. “The states which skipped the meeting were Karnataka, Kerala, West Bengal, Bihar and Puducherry,” NITI Aayog CEO BVR Subrahmanyam told reporters in Delhi.A senior NDA leader said the CM, accompanied by senior officials, arrived in Delhi on Saturday afternoon, by which time the meeting was nearly over.Despite the political curiosity his absence sparked, neither the chief minister’s office nor the Bihar govt offered any explanation on Saturday as to why the CM or the state refrained from attending.Senior Congress leader Tariq Anwar described Kumar’s decision as “significant. “His decision to skip it sends a major political message especially given that the meeting was chaired by the PM,” Anwar said.RJD Rajya Sabha MP Manoj Jha said the CM’s absence suggested a shift in decision-making. “The NITI Aayog meeting is happening at a critical juncture. We heard that the CM is not attending. His priorities are set by other people these days,” Jha told reporters.NDA sources, however, confirmed that Kumar is expected to attend the meeting of chief ministers and deputy chief ministers of NDA-ruled states on May 25 to be chaired by PM Modi at the Ashoka Hotel in New Delhi.The NDA gathering precedes the PM’s two-day visit to Bihar on May 29 and May 30, ahead of the upcoming state assembly elections. It is seen as politically significant for both Bihar and the NDA allies in the state.Speaking about the NDA meeting, deputy CM Samrat Choudhary said, “The Centre is extending all possible assistance to Bihar and Nitish Kumar will thank the PM for it. Several people-friendly projects like Jal-Jeevan-Hariyali are ongoing in Bihar under the leadership of the CM and these will be discussed in the meeting. The state will also make a presentation at the meeting.”