Sushil Modi joins Nitish's 'Vishwash Yatra'

PATNA: Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi joined Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's 'Vishwash Yatra' Friday, indicating an end to the rift between their parties.

Nitish Kumar and Modi left for Aurangabad district as part of the programme ahead of assembly elections in October. The two are also slated to visit Gaya district later Friday, party leaders said.

The tension between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Janata Dal-United (JD-U), which together rule Bihar, ballooned after Nitish Kumar returned the Rs.5 crore aid given by Gujarat's BJP government after the 2008 floods in Bihar.

On June 20, Sushil Modi stayed away from a similar Vishwash Yatra. The chief minister then cancelled a march scheduled later that day in Patna.

Nitish Kumar was miffed over advertisements featuring him and Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi and referring to the aid provided by Gujarat after the 2008 floods.