President Thieu of South Vietnam opened his Presidential election campaign on Thursday with a television address to the nation in which he accused his two former opponents of creating a one-candidate election by dropping out of the contest. He also brushed aside charges of election-rigging made by his two former opponents, Vice-President Nguyen Cao Ky and General Duong van Minh, and dismissed a growing campaign calling for his resignation and fresh elections.

In the vote-count of the National Assembly poll held last week meantime, it appeared that opposition groups -- like the militant An Quang Buddhist faction -- were making considerable gains in the contest for the 159 seats.

SYNOPSIS: In South Vietnam, the campaign for the October presidential elections opened in Saigon on Thursday -- with a nation-wide television speech by the only candidate, current President Nguyen van Thieu. Originally, the election was to be contested by three candidates -- the President, Vice-President Nguyen Cao Ky, and former Vietnamese leader General "Big" Minh. But both have dropped out, claiming that the elections are rigged -- a charge strongly denied by President This in Thursday's campaign speech on television. If the contest was not contested, said the President, it would be the fault of the former candidates -- and he dismissed calls for his resignation and a new election.

Meanwhile, in the vote count of last week's Parliamentary election opposition groups -- like the militant An Quang Buddhist faction -- are reported to be making considerable gains in the fight for the 159 seats. Final results we expected to take some time.

Vice-President Ky, although resigned from the presidential campaign, has declared that he wants to s??? fresh election and said he will use force if necessary to prevent President Thieu from running alone. He has not stipulated what kind of force he will use.