Akhilesh to not attend Nitish's oath ceremony

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav will not attend senior Janata Janata Dal (United) leader Nitish Kumar's swearing-in ceremony in Patna today as he has his hands full with the 'Green UP, Clean UP' campaign in Saifai, UP.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will also not be able to attend the ceremony due to 'prior engagements', however, Union Ministers Venkaiah Naidu and Rajiv Pratap Rudy will represent the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Union Government at the swearing-in today.

Interestingly, rebel BJP leader Shatrughan Sinha will also not the able to attend his 'good friend's' swearing-in ceremony due to "important personal engagements."

"Will miss the ceremony, but Nitishbabu and Laluji, I remain a well-wisher, admirer and friend...and remember, once a friend, always a friend," Sinha tweeted.

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The ceremony will be attended by Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi, former Prime Minister H.D. Devegowda, NCP chief Sharad Pawar, his National Conference counterpart Farooq Abdullah and Congress leaders in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge and Ghulam Nabi Azad among others.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee also confirmed that she would attend the ceremony.

Nitish was on Saturday elected as the legislature party Leader of the Mahagathbandhan, which comprises of the Janata Dal (United), the Rashtriya Janata Dal and the Congress Party.