Patna: Bihar’s ruling party marked Makar Sankranti on Friday with a series of traditional dahi-chura feasts hosted by BJP national working president Nitin Nabin, his first major public engagement since taking charge of the national role.
The day’s events began at the Patna New Club, where senior leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party and members of the media gathered. Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar had been invited but was unable to attend, having departed for Bettiah on a Samriddhi Yatra.
A second, larger gathering is scheduled for the afternoon at Nabin’s ministerial residence, where thousands of party workers from across the state, including assembly constituency and Patna metropolitan units, are expected to attend. The invitation has been extended to grassroots workers as well as senior office-bearers.
The menu reflects the customary fare associated with the festival in Bihar, with chura-dahi, tilkut and khichdi accompanied by chutney, papad, raita and sweets. Nabin has hosted similar feasts annually, but party leaders said arrangements were expanded this year in view of his new national responsibilities.
Senior leaders from the BJP and its National Democratic Alliance partners have been invited, including deputy chief ministers Samrat Choudhary and Vijay Sinha, state party president Sanjay Saraogi, assembly speaker Prem Kumar, ministers and MLAs. Leaders from JD(U), HAM(S) and RLM are also expected to be present.
Earlier in the day, deputy chief minister Vijay Sinha called on Nabin at his residence ahead of another official engagement. Nabin returned to Patna from Delhi on Thursday after a series of party meetings following his appointment, receiving a public welcome both in the capital and on his arrival in Bihar.
On Thursday evening, Nabin also attended a dahi-chura feast hosted by Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) leader Chirag Paswan, alongside Union minister of state Nityanand Rai, health minister Mangal Pandey and other senior NDA figures, underlining the coalition’s show of unity ahead of the political season.
