BJP whipping up passion: Sonia

Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Monday, attacked BJP, under fire over Varun Gandhi's reported anti-Muslim speech, accusing the saffron party of whipping up passions.

"We are not among those who whip up passions of people and make poison of incitement in society to retain power", she said, without naming BJP as she launched Congress' campaign in BJP-ruled Karnataka where the party is seeking to revive its flagging fortunes.

BJP had swept the last Lok Sabha polls, winning 18 of 28 seats and stormed to power in assembly elections last year, making it the first saffron party government in the South.

Gandhi said political parties and governments should seek the people's mandate on the basis of principles and achievements. "We need your mandate on the basis of principles and achievements", she added.