Daily Bulletin: Rahul to launch Lok Sabha campaign in Telangana, Karnataka; AG's U-turn on 'stolen' Rafale documents; day's top stories

Rahul Gandhi to launch Congress’ Lok Sabha campaign in Telangana, Karnataka Congress president Rahul Gandhi will kickstart on Saturday the party campaign for the Lok Sabha elections in Telangana, where it fared badly in the Assembly polls three months ago. AICC in-charge of party affairs in Telangana, RC Khuntia on Friday said that the Congress chief will address booth committee members. Rahul will also hold a public meeting in the Chevella Parliamentary Constituency around 5 pm on Saturday, reports said. In the 7 December, 2018 Assembly elections, the Congress secured only 19 seats in the 119-member House with the Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) returning to power after winning in 88 constituencies. For the coming Lok Sabha elections in Telangana, due by April-May, Khuntia said the Congress has decided to contest all the 17 seats on its own, and appealed to “like-minded parties” to support its candidates. Asked if the TDP, CPI and TJS promised support to Congress candidates, Khuntia said: “They have said they will talk (discuss) in their party”. On when the Congress would announce candidates for the 17 seats, he said it’s expected by next weekend. [caption id=“attachment_6180621” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] File photo of Congress president Rahul Gandhi. PTI[/caption] Rahul is also expected to launch the party’s campaign in Karnataka on Saturday. He is scheduled to conduct a rally in the Haveri town in north Karnataka. The BJP wrested Haveri, which was once a Congress bastion, in 2009. Attorney General makes U-turn on controversial Rafale statement Attorney General K K Venugopal on Friday claimed the Rafale documents were not “stolen” from the Defence Ministry and that what he meant in his submission before the Supreme Court was that petitioners in the application used “photocopies of the original” papers, deemed secret by the government. His comments in the apex court on Wednesday that Rafale fighter jet deal documents were stolen caused a political row, with Congress president Rahul Gandhi targeting the government over stealing of such sensitive papers and seeking a criminal investigation. “I am told that the opposition has alleged what was argued (in SC) was that files had been stolen from the Defence Ministry. This is wholly incorrect. The statement that files have been stolen is wholly incorrect,” he told PTI, in an apparent damage-control exercise. Narendra Modi to inaugurate Delhi metro line Prime Minister Narendra Modi is slated to inaugurate the 6.6-kilometre Noida City Centre-Noida Electronic City section, an extension of the Delhi Metro’s Blue Line on 9 March, the officials said on Friday. The completely elevated section with six stations — Sector 34, Sector 52, Sector 61, Sector 59, Sector 62 and Noida Electronic City — will benefit the people of Noida and connect the satellite city with the national capital. “The prime minister is slated to inaugurate the Noida City Centre-Noida Electronic City section tomorrow from a rally in Greater Noida. Services will begin the same day at 4 pm,” a senior DMRC official said. Priyanka Gandhi to meet party workers in Lucknow Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra will meet party workers from Rae Bareli, Amethi, Sultanpur, and other constituencies in Lucknow on Saturday, which will be her second visit to the city after she was appointed as general secretary in-charge of eastern Uttar Pradesh. Priyanka’s visit comes close on the heels of the Congress’ first list of 15 candidates announced for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. The party has fielded UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi from Rae Bareli and Amethi respectively, the seats they won in 2014 elections as well. According to reports, Priyanka’s visit on Saturday will see her interacting with the party workers mostly from Rae Bareli, Amethi, and Sultanpur. Army jawan abducted in Jammu and Kashmir’s Budgam An army jawan was reportedly abducted by four unidentified gunmen from his home in Jammu and Kashmir’s Budgam district on Friday, which has generated fear of an escalation in tensions in the state. The abducted personnel was identified as Mohammad Yasin of the Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry, reports said. Yasin was on leave from 26 February to 31 March and was abducted from inside his house in the Qazipora village in Kashmir. The police have launched an extensive search operation and have increased surveillance on the national highway following reports of the abduction. ArcelorMittal set to takeover Essar Steel ArcelorMittal is set to take over the crippled Essar Steel for Rs 42,000-crore with the Ahmedabad bench of the NCLT giving the go-ahead on Friday. The resolution process has already crossed the 270 days mandated deadline long ago after the Ruias, the original promoters of the 10-million steel mill, has been throwing up one legal challenge after another since June 2017 when the company taken to the bankruptcy court. This is the largest-ever payout by a new company to an NCLT asset since the IBC came into effect in May 2016. The previous one was the Rs 35,000 crore takeover of Bhushan Steel by Tata Steel last year. India seek consolation win against England in third women’s T20I at Guwahati India hopes to bounce back in the third women’s T20I against England at the Barsapara Stadium in Guwahati on Saturday. The Smriti Mandhana-led hosts have already surrendered the series by losing the first two games and have lost their last six successive T20s, a streak which they hope to snap in the upcoming match. India had earlier secured a 2-1 victory in the ODI series by winning the first two games. Mumbai City host FC Goa in the first leg of semi-final clash Mumbai City FC’s quest for their first-ever ISL title sees them come up against a high-flying FC Goa side in the playoffs. Goa have gotten the better of Mumbai on both their encounters this season, and Jorge Costa’s Mumbai will be on the lookout for revenge when the Gaurs come knocking at the Mumbai Football Arena on Saturday.