Patna, Oct 16 (IANS): A two-day National Council meeting of Bihar's ruling Janata Dal-United (JD-U) began on Sunday at Rajgir in Nalanda district.

The JD-U is likely to chalk out its strategy to play a major role to unite non-BJP regional parties at the national level ahead of the 2019 general election.

It will also formally project Chief Minister Nitish Kumar as the Prime Ministerial candidate of like-minded parties.

The party will also anoint Nitish Kumar as its President. Nitish Kumar was elected to the post in April.

The meeting started with the hoisting of the party flag by Nitish Kumar along with former JD-U President Sharad Yadav in the presence of hundreds of leaders and workers.

State JD-U President Vashisht Narain Singh said over 1,200 party leaders from 24 states, including 170 elected delegates, were participating in the meeting.

He said: "The party will discuss and deliberate alternate national policies and leadership."

Former Jharkhand Chief Minister and Jharkhand Vikas Morcha chief Babulal Marandi will attend the meeting on the concluding day on Monday.

Rajgir is a historic place in Nalanda, the home district of Nitish Kumar and about 100 km from Patna.