Sonia Gandhi holds first election rally

The widow of the assassinated former Indian prime minister, Rajiv Gandhi, hasmade her first political campaign speech for her husband's Congress Party.

Speaking in English at an election rally just outside the southern city of Madras, the Italian-born Sonia Gandhi strongly attacked parties which use religion for political gain.

Before the address, she and her daughter Priyanka visited the nearby memorial to Rajiv Ghandi, paying an emotional tribute to him at the eternal flame marking the spot where he was killed by a suicide bomber in 1991.

Mrs Gandhi had avoided public politics since her husband's death, but two weeks ago agreed to campaign for the Congress Party for next month's elections.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service