Patna, July 27: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar did not attend the Niti Aayog meeting in New Delhi on Saturday, officials said. The state was represented at the meeting by deputy chief ministers Samrat Choudhary and Vijay Kumar Sinha, they said. The cause for Kumar's absence from the crucial meeting could not be known immediately. 'Mic Muted, Not Allowed to Speak More Than 5 Minutes': Mamata Banerjee Walks out from NITI Aayog Meeting (Watch Video).

"This is not the first time that the CM is not attending the Nitish Aayog meeting. The CM did not attend the meeting earlier as well, and Bihar was represented by the then deputy CM. This time also both the Dy CMs went to attend the meeting," JD(U) spokesperson Neeraj Kumar told PTI. "Besides, there are four Union ministers from Bihar who are members of the Aayog and they will be present in the meeting. There is nothing to say on this," he added. NITI Aayog's Governing Council Meeting Begins Under Chairmanship of PM.

The ninth governing council meeting of the Aayog discussed the 'Vikshit Bharat@2047' document with an aim to make India a developed nation. The council, the apex body of Niti Aayog, includes all CMs, Lt Governors of Union territories and several Union ministers. PM Modi is the chairman of Niti Aayog.