Himachal polls: Prem Kumar Dhumal sends defamation notice to Rahul Gandhi

HIMACHAL PRADESH: Bharatiya Janata Party's chief ministerial candidate for Himachal Pradesh, Prem Kumar Dhumal, on Tuesday sent a notice to Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi accusing him of making defamatory allegations of corruption against him in election rallies.

Dhumal issued the legal notice to Rahul for his alleged remarks during three rallies held on November 6 in Himachal Pradesh`s Paonta Sahib, Chamba and Nagrota.Dhumal's lawyer on his behalf said that Rahul accused the leader of having "grabbed property" in the state in the name of cricket and by the virtue of which his son-Anurag Thakur -had to "suffer".

The BJP leader also asked Rahul either to apologise by November 9-election day in the state- or to face the criminal prosecution as well as suit.

Dubbing the allegations as 'bundle of lies', the former chief minister said that the charges have been levelled against him to tarnish his image particularly in the light of the forthcoming elections.

The notice also claimed that Rahul's allegations, which were "intentionally made to gain political mileage", have affected Dhumal's "personal, moral, social, cultural and intellectual stature" before the public.

The notice further asked Rahul not to distort the facts and tarnish the image of any leaders by making "deliberate statement which is derogatory in nature".

Himachal Pradesh will go to polls for its 68-member state assembly on Thursday.