Patna, Jun 5 (IANS): The Opposition unity meeting originally scheduled for June 12 is likely to be deferred to June 23 owing to unavailability of senior party leaders -- Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge.

According to sources, the consensus of all the like-minded parties are being taken before finalising the date.

This comes as a huge jolt to the efforts of Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and his deputy Tejashwi Yadav.

The sources said that the biggest reason for the postponement of the meeting is Rahul Gandhi's absence from the country. Even Congress national president Mallikarjun Kharge has expressed his reluctance for a meeting in Patna.

After the Bharat Jodo Yatra of Rahul Gandhi contributed to the grand success in Karnataka assembly election, the morale of Congress party is high.

Moreover, the three of the four Assembly elections -- Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chattisgarh are coming up just before the Lok Sabha election where Congress has a direct fight with BJP.

If the Congress wins the elections in these three states, the mood of voters would automatically go in its favour in the Lok Sabha polls. Also, a meeting in Bihar would suggest that Nitish Kumar is leading the opposition camp, which the grand-old party would never agree to, the sources said.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Benerjee had proposed Patna as the meeting venue. as her relation with Congress is not so good. Recently, she had included one of Congress's MLA in the TMC fold.