Chennai, July 1: Pratibha Patil today dismissed allegations against her by the NDA over the bank she started in Maharashtra and the cooperative sugar mill owned by her family, reports our special correspondent.

Formally launching her campaign for the presidential election at a women’s rally organised by the DMK this evening, Pratibha — the UPA-Left parties’ nominee — said the allegations were “malicious” and “totally false and baseless”.

Tamil Nadu chief minister M. Karunanidhi later hosted a dinner in her honour.