Nitish to attend Karunanidhi's 94th b'day bash, Lalu to skip

Patna: JD-U president and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar will attend DMK chief M. Karunanidhi's 94th birthday celebrations in Chennai on Saturday, but RJD chief Lalu Prasad will not be attending due to health problems, a party leader said.

"Nitish Kumar left for Delhi after the state Cabinet meeting. He will visit Chennai on Saturday and is likely to address a public meeting there," said a Janata Dal-United (JD-U) leader.

Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad has cancelled his visit due to health problems.

Nitish and Lalu, who have been trying for a united opposition to counter the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) following its massive victory in the Uttar Pradesh assembly polls, had last month promised senior DMK leader and Karunanidhi's daughter Kanimozhi that they would join her father's birthday bash in Chennai on June 3.

Both leaders accepted the invitation on behalf of DMK's working president M.K. Stalin.