Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Saturday met with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, a day after he declined Congress President Sonia Gandhi’s invitation to attend an Opposition leaders’ meeting. Saturday’s visit to New Delhi triggered speculation over Kumar’s loyalties.

Kumar, however, said he was invited to New Delhi as the Prime Minister of Mauritius was in the country on an official visit. “We have deep emotional bonds with the people there. 52% of the population there has origins in Bihar,” the chief minister said.

Kumar had deployed Janata Dal (United) leader Sharad Yadav to attend the Opposition leaders’ meeting.

Speaking to reporters after his meeting with Modi, Kumar said he had met Gandhi on April 20 and had pushed for a united Opposition in the presidential election. The chief minister had advised Gandhi to focus on uniting the Opposition instead of reacting to Modi.

On May 15, Kumar had refuted rumours of him standing running for the Prime Minister’s post in the next Parliamentary elections. Kumar had said he was the leader of a “small party” and did not have Modi’s capacity.

Congress is seeking a larger-unity among non-NDA parties ahead of the Presidential election. The party is hoping that a new-formed unity can be taken forward to the upcoming assembly polls in Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh and Karnataka, besides the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

Efforts are also being made to bring Uttar Pradesh arch rivals Samajwadi Party and Bahujan Samaj Party together against a common opposition ahead of the presidential poll. There were reports that a number of parleys have already happened between several party leaders on putting up a joint Opposition candidate to take on the official NDA nominee.

Since their falling out in the run-up to the 2014 elections, Kumar has mellowed in his criticism of the Prime Minister. During the demonetisation drive, Kumar praised the initiative. Modi also lauded Kumar’s ban on the sale of alcohol.