New Delhi, Aug 19 - Congress president Sonia Gandhi Wednesday asked party leaders and office bearers to contribute 20 percent of their salaries towards relief measures undertaken by the central and state governments to fight drought.

'The Congress president proposed that party MPs, legislators, ministers and other salaried office bearers voluntarily offer 20 percent of their salaries for one year from Sep 1,' said Congress general secretary Janardhan Dwivedi.

He was briefing the media after the Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting called to discuss drought and price-rise. The suggestion was unanimously accepted by the CWC.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh also spoke. He said the situation was bad but the country had the 'capacity and capability' to deal with it.