Lt Gen Praveen Bakshi, who was superseded in the selection of army chief, has alleged that there was a "malicious campaign" to smear his name ahead of the appointment of Lt General Bipin Rawat last month.

In a speech, purportedly made by him on the New Year's eve which was played by India Today channel, Bakshi also talked about some anonymous letters complaining about his functioning as the Eastern Army Commander. "There was not one letter, but many written over a period of 5-6 months about my functioning and making some allegations. When you look into these letters, at least, one I had....talked that I was hobnobbing with industrialists promoting some personal interest... "But all these anonymous letters were against self- aggrievement, against anyone subjected (to) adverse situation, instead it was all to malign my name."

On why he was not resigning, Bakshi said there were no "skeletons in his closet" and had no aspirations for seeking any future appointment. "I would like to tell my own command that there has been a malicious campaign to smear my name... and a very deep rooted conspiracy. Who was it? Why did they do it? What was the motive? Is exactly not clear," he said, adding he wanted to get to the bottom of who was behind it.

On December 17, the government had superseded Lt General Bakshi by appointing his junior Rawat as army chief. This was only the second deviation from the seniority principle for selecting the army chief in nearly 70 years.