False allegations being levelled against opposition leaders: CM

Nahan, July 24 (UNI) Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh today expressed anguish over growing trend among political parties to level false and malicious allegations against opposition leaders.

Presiding over a state level plantation function at Nohra Dhar, about 120 kms from here, he said suspended party leader Vijai Singh Mankotia had levelled false allegations of corruption against him and his MP wife Pratibha Singh during the Hamirpur Parliamentary by-elections recently.

Mr Singh said similar false and malicious allegations were also levelled against the UPA-Left presidential candidate Pratibha Patil during the campaigning for these elections.

''Such practices are against the ethos of democracy,'' he said.

The Chief Minister reiterated his government's resolve for uniform development of the state and hoped that the people of the Sirmaur district would help the Congress to return to power by voting for the party candidates in the next assembly elections.

He called upon every child in the state to plant a sapling to increase the forest area besides maintaining its greenery.

UNI