Retirement age: BJP-Congress opposed BJP-led government's raising government employees' retirement age from 58 to 60 though Congress had promised the same in its manifesto.

CONG-The Youth Congress merely protested against the lack of a package for the youth who would be affected by raising the retirement age.

Women's bill: BJP-Congress backtracked on the issue after promising 33 PER cent reservation for women and staging a dharna outside Parliament House to demand the quota.

Cong-our stand always has been that the government place the Bill, as approved by the Geeta Mukherjee Committee,on the floor of the House.

Immigrants: BJP-Congress government in Maharashtra deported 4,000 ILLEGAL immigrants from Mumbai but called the BJP-Shiv Sena government anti-minority and anti-Bengali when it decided to deport such immigrants four years later.

Cong-we took the due process of law into consideration before acting. The BJP-Sena took an arbitrary line which didn't distinguish between Bangladeshis and Bengali-speaking Indians.

Urea Prices: BJP-Urea prices were raised by Rs 1,000 per ton during THE Narasimha Rao regime but the Congress called the BJP anti-farmer when it proposed a Rs 500 increase.

Cong-the BJP's own allies protested the hike and broke national consensus on the issue.

Farmers' plight: BJP-Congress staged a walkout in Parliament over the suicides of farmers in several states. The suicides took place during the tenure of the Cong-backed UF regime.

Cong-we raised the issue and drew attention to it. The suicides were actually in states ruled by BJP's allieslike TDP, HVP and Akali Dal.

Pokhran II: BJP-Congress condemns Pokhran II but praises Pokhran I which was conducted during Indira Gandhi's time.

Cong-Chronologically untrue. We praised our scientists on day one of Pokhran II.

Saraswati Vandana: BJP-Congress objected to the Vandana though the FIRST such conference - presided over by Maulana Abul Kalam Azad when Nehru was PM - began with Saraswati Vandana.

Cong-no objection to any invocation of any religion. We, however, insist that NIC guidelines be observed in government functions. The agenda papers for the conference were communal in nature.

Secularism: BJP-Congress propped up Muslim League in Kerala and PROMISED to rule by the Gospel in Mizoram; its leaders, now election managers, were behind the anti-Sikh riots in Delhi. So much for Congress ``apology'' and charge that the BJP is communal.

Cong-we are for Mahatma Gandhi's secularism. BJP is for Godse's secularism.

Article 356: BJP-Congress misused Article 356 atleast 85 times to dismiss governments with a majority but called it murder of democracy when the Goa Congress split and the Governor dismissed the government.

Cong-Real issue is illegitimacy in Bihar. The contrast in the BJP's stand when the UP government was sacked and its Bihar line is evident.

Left Parties: The Left called the Congress communal and criticised ITS economic policies while the Congress described the CPI and CPI(M) as not part of the national mainstream. These parties are now trying to form an alliance.

Cong-we are not in alliance with the Left.

Speaker's election: BJP-Congress touts consensus and tradition of LEAVING the Deputy Speakership to the Opposition but put up a candidate for the Speakers' post though it is held by the ruling party.

Cong-BJP failed to choose their candidate till two minutes before the deadline. In fact, Madan Lal Khurana called Sangma to promise their support for him.

Inflation rate: BJP-Congress claims inflation has increased underBJP rule. But rate of inflation has been 8.1 per cent in the last eight months whereas it was an average of 10.3 per cent between 1991-94.

Cong-We left it 4.4. per cent and it increased four times under non-Congress governments.

Kashmir violence: BJP-Home Minister's resignation demanded by cONGRESS for two incidents of violence in Kashmir. During Congress rule, 18,000 people were killed, temples destroyed, 2.5 lakh Kashmiri pandits fled the Valley.

Cong-the Pandits fled between February and March 1990 when its current MP Jagmohan was the Governor.

UN and J&K: BJP-Congress accuses us of internationalising the Kashmir issue though it was Nehru who did so.

Cong-between 1947 and 1998, the 1965 Indo-Pak war and the 1972 Shimla Agreement took place. The UN never took the issue up after 1965, till 1998.

Probity in public life: BJP-Congress is a haven for criminals but TALKS of integrity and probity in public life. CONG-The number of BJP nominees with criminal backgrounds is more thanCongress.