Sonia attacks 'BJP's double-standards on corruption issue'

"BJP will have to be answerable and accountable to people and tell what action it has taken against its own leaders facing charges of corruption," the All India Congress Committee president said.

Addressing an election rally at the historic Ridge Ground in Shimla, she said, "Congress is the only party which has taken strict legal action against corrupt leaders but the BJP is only talking about corruption and not taking any action against its own leaders".

Sonia claimed credit for bringing the Right to Information Act, which has proved an effective tool against corruption.

"The BJP is not against corruption but against Congress and using it as a tool against the party," she said.

Suggesting that BJP's record on checking corruption was not bright, she alleged that the opposition party stopped the passage of the Lokpal Bill in the Rajya Sabha, despite the fact that the legislation was an important tool in the fight against graft.

Gandhi also utilised the occasion to propagate the cause of FDI in retail, asserting that the move would help the hill state known for its horticulture products, especially apples.

"It is especially beneficial for farmers in Himachal as shortage of cold storages would be over and produce of farmers will not rot," she said.

Accusing the BJP of playing politics on FDI, she said that the chief ministers were free to implement or not allow FDI in retail but the BJP was unnecessarily making an issue out of it.

Sharma strongly refuted the charge of discrimination against the BJP ruled state by the Centre and said that the Centre has given assistance of Rs 17,000 crore to Himachal, but chief minister P K Dhumal was making false allegations of discrimination against the prime minister.

He also denied the allegation of former Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani that the Centre curtailed the industrial package and said that the package had not been withdrawn and would continue till 2013 and reviewed thereafter.