October29: Nitish Kumar speaks at a Jananta Dal (United) meet at Rajgir
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has censured his political rival, the BJP, whose party workers are marching to the Ganga with the ashes of six people who were killed in Sunday's blasts ahead of a rally held by
Narendra Modi in Patna.
Mr Modi is the BJP's candidate for prime minister. He will land in Patna tonight; tomorrow, he will visit the homes of those who died. (
Read: For Modi's return to Patna, major security upgrade)
The chief minister accused the BJP of trying to instigate communal tension with its "Santavana Yatra" which is scheduled to end on Tuesday with the ashes of the victims being immersed in the Ganga. "This is what the BJP wants...to vitiate the atmosphere. But we will not allow our harmony to be undermined," Mr Kumar said.
His party says that the callous chief minister has made no attempt to meet the families of the victims; Mr Modi, they say, will compensate for that callousness.
In June this year, Mr Kumar pulled the plug on a 17-year alliance with the BJP over its decision to promote Mr Modi to the main player in its election campaign.Mr Kumar relies heavily on the support of Bihar's Muslim voters.
After the communal riots of 2002 in Gujarat, which took place on Mr Mdi's watch, he distanced himself from the BJP leader, describing him as a polarizing figure who has lost the confidence of Muslims.