Patna: Governor Lalji Tandon-led International Yoga Day celebrations in the Bihar capital on Friday with leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the

Janata Dal (United) JD(U) taking part in the event, but chief minister Nitish Kumar remained conspicuous by his absence.

The event served as an occasion to demonstrate cordiality between the ruling coalition partners Bharatiya Janata Party and the Janata Dal (United).

The function at a stadium in the city was attended by deputy chief minister Sushil Kumar Modi and cabinet ministers Mangal Pandey and Pramod Kumar.

All eyes were, however, on cabinet ministers Maheshwar Hazari and Shravan Kumar as their presence marked the JD(U)’s first participation in the event.

Although Nitish Kumar is known to be a yoga enthusiast, he has maintained a studied distance from such celebrations holding that the discipline was best practised in solitude.

Leaders of his party had so far not been seen at International Yoga Day celebrations, not even after the JD(U) resumed its alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party in July, 2017, after a gap of four years.