Patna, March 28 (IANS): Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Saturday said that the merger process between his party JD-U and the Lalu Prasad Yadav-led RJD was on the right track and would take place ahead of the state assembly polls later this year.

"Process for the merger of JD-U and RJD is on the right track now," Nitish Kumar told media a day after he returned from his two-day visit to Delhi where he met RJD chief Lalu Prasad.

For the first time since Kumar became the chief minister again last month, he made it clear that the JD-U and RJD merger was still on the cards.

Earlier, Kumar refuted reports that the RSS had asked BJP bigwigs to restore ties with the Janata Dal (United) in Bihar.

He also said the merger would certainly take place and the six "Janata Parivar" parties would constitute a united force.

"It will be completed soon," the Bihar CM said, adding that the merger talks were in the final stage.

During his visit to Delhi, Kumar said that he met Congress president Sonia Gandhi, INLD chief Om Prakash Chautala and AAP leader and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.