HIGHLIGHTS

New Delhi, Jan 28 (PTI): Following are the top stories at 2100 hrs:

TOP STORIES DEL43 POL-2NDLDALL RAHUL

Rahul promises minimum income guarantee for poor if Cong returns to power, calls it historic Raipur: Congress president Rahul Gandhi Monday promised his party would ensure "minimum income guarantee" for every poor person if it comes to power at the Centre, echoing the 'Garibi Hatao' ('Remove Poverty') slogan coined by his grandmother Indira Gandhi during the 1971 general elections that she won.

DEL37 LDALL HEGDE

BJP min Hegde makes controversial Muslim remark; Rahul says, 'unfit' to be minister Bengaluru/New Delhi: A day after his "the hand that touches a Hindu girl" should be eliminated remark, Union minister Ananth Kumar Hegde on Monday called the Karnataka Congress chief "a guy who ran behind a Muslim lady", eliciting a retort from Congress president Rahul Gandhi who said the BJP leader was "unfit" to be a minister and should be sacked.

DEL27 POL-SHAH-LD JIBE

For Cong, OROP means 'only Rahul, only Priyanka': Shah's jibe; Omar also takes a swipe at BJP Shimla: BJP chief Amit Shah Monday said for the Congress OROP means 'only Rahul, only Priyanka', using the acronym for 'one rank, one pension' scheme for military personnel to take a jibe at the Congress.

DEL30 IAF-AIRCRAFT-3RD LD CRASH

IAF's Jaguar aircraft crashes in UP, pilot ejects safely Gorakhpur (UP): A Jaguar fighter jet of the Indian Air Force crashed on Monday in Uttar Pradesh's Kushinagar district, making it the third accident by this twin-engine aircraft in the last seven months.

LGB3 GJ-HC-AHMED PATEL

Ahmed Patel paid bribes to Cong MLAs during RS poll: Rajput to HC Ahmedabad: Congress leader Ahmed Patel paid "gratification" to his party's MLAs who were not inclined to support him in the Rajya Sabha election, BJP leader Balvantsinh Rajput told the Gujarat High Court Monday.

NATION

MDS1 KA-KUMARASWAMY-RESIGN Upset over Cong MLAs remarks Kumaraswamy threatens to quit

Bengaluru: The acrimony between the Congress and the JDS in Karnataka reached a new high with Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy Monday threatening to step down, saying he never "craved" for power.

MDS9 KA-LD SIDDARAMAIAH Siddaramaiah loses cool, pulls mike during wordy duel with woman party worker Bengaluru: Former Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah landed in a controversy Monday when he snatched the microphone from a woman during a wordy duel resulting in

her dupatta getting dislodged at an event in Varuna in Mysuru.

DEL31 LD GADKARI Cong claims Gadkari's remarks aimed at PM, BJP says Union minister exposed opposition

New Delhi: The Congress on Monday seized on Union minister Nitin Gadkari's comments that politicians failing to fulfil dreams they sell to people are beaten up by the public to claim that those were aimed at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, even as the BJP asserted that its senior leader was only exposing the opposition party.

CAL12 WB-MAUSAM Congress MP Mausam Noor joins Trinamool Congress ahead of Lok Sabha polls

Kolkata: In a jolt to the Congress in West Bengal ahead of the parliamentary polls, its Malda (North) MP Mausam Noor joined the Trinamool Congress on Monday in the presence of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

DES8 UP-AKHILESH-INTERVIEW Cong should support SP-BSP alliance: Akhilesh Yadav

Lucknow: Samajwadi Party supremo Akhilesh Yadav Monday said that if the Congress vows to fight against the BJP in the Lok Sabha polls, it should support the SP-BSP alliance. By Abhinav Pandey

LEGAL LGD29 DL-COURT-2NDLD LALU

Lalu, wife, son, granted bail in IRCTC scam by Delhi court New Delhi: RJD chief Lalu Prasad, his wife Rabri Devi and son Tejashwi Yadav were on Monday granted bail by a Delhi court in a money laundering case related to the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) scam.

LGD27 DL-COURT-LD LAUNDERING

ED forcing to implicate someone influential in UPA era defence deal, accused tells court New Delhi: Gautam Khaitan, a lawyer accused in AgustaWestland VVIP chopper case, told a Delhi court Monday that Enforcement Directorate was forcing him to falsely implicate someone influential in "any defence deal" which happened during the UPA regime.

LGD22 SC-2NDLD ASSAM DETENTION

SC seeks information on detention centres, foreigners detained in Assam New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday directed the Centre to provide the details of the functional detention centres in Assam and the foreigners detained there during the last 10 years.

FOREIGN

FGN6 US-2NDLD HARRIS US democracy under attack like never before, says Kamala Harris as she kicks off 2020 presidential campaign

Washington: Indian-origin Senator Kamala Harris has launched her 2020 presidential bid on Sunday with a scathing criticism of President Donald Trump's policies, saying that the US is at an "inflection point" in the history due to the attack on democracy like never before. By Lalit K Jha

FGN12 UK-PROTEST-FLAG UK expresses regret at burning of Indian flag by separatist groups

London: The UK government Monday expressed regret over reports that the Indian flag was burnt during a demonstration by separatist groups outside the Indian High Commission in London on Republic Day. By Aditi Khanna PTI NSD

NSD