Select the most appropriate direct form of the given sentence.

Rahul told me he didn’t have time to go to the dispensary as he was getting late for the office.

Rahul said to me, “I don’t have time to go to the dispensary as I am getting late for the office.”

The most appropriate direct form of the given sentence is Rahul said to me, "I don't have time to go to the dispensary as I am getting late for the office."

The other options are incorrect:

• Rahul said to me, "I couldn't have time to go to the dispensary as he was getting late for the office." This is incorrect because the tense of the reported speech should be "am," not "was."
• Rahul said to me, "He didn't have time to go to the dispensary as I was getting late for the office." This is incorrect because the pronoun "he" should be "I."
• Rahul said to me, "I haven't got time to go to the dispensary as I was getting late for the office." This is incorrect because the tense of the reported speech should be "am," not "was."