She made the charge while talking to reporters at the start of the second day of her roadshow in Himachal Pradesh which today took her to parts of Kangra, Mandi and Hamirpur districts.

Sonia made it clear that while Congress was not averse to an alliance with BSP or Samajwadi Party in Uttar Pradesh, it was prepared to go it alone if no alliance could be struck.

Referring to the Bharat Uday Yatra of Deputy Prime Minister LK Advani she said "there is nothing new in his yatra and it only proved that the BJP is afraid of a woman".

She said that her roadshow had evoked overwhelming response and she was accorded a very warm welcome at all the places.

On her way to Hamirpur and Una districts later, she stopped at Sundernagar, Bhambla and Jahu to interact with the people.

Sonia Gandhi was accompanied on her tour by Chief Minister VB Singh, state Congress president Vidya Stokes and other senior Congress leaders.

Meanwhile, Congress president Sonia Gandhi said yesterday her party is not averse to having an alliance with BSP or Samajwadi party in Uttar Pradesh in the Lok Sabha polls but prepared to go alone if no alliance can be struck.

Referring to the Bharat Uday yatra of deputy prime minister LK Advani she said "there is nothing new in his yatra, it only proved that the BJP is afraid of a woman".