Delhi

New Delhi, Mar 23 (PTI) Some civil society groups launched a campaign in several states on Saturday to ensure issues such as unemployment, agrarian crisis and sluggish economy are discussed in the run-up to the parliamentary election.

The campaign, titled 'Desh Mera, Vote Mera, Mudda Mera' (my country, my vote and my issues), was launched on the martyrdom day of Bhagat Singh.

New Delhi, March 22; PTI/GANASHAKTI: In a press conference conducted by Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala on Friday, the party accused several BJP leaders of receiving bribes.

Referring to a story by The Caravan magazine, the Congress leader said that former Karnataka Chief Minister and BJP leader B.S. Yeddyurappa bribed top leadership of the government in 2009.

New Delhi, Mar 22 (PTI) The AAP would start its campaign for Delhi's full statehood from Saturday under the leadership of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, the party said in a statement.

The Aam Aadmi Party said the main agenda of this campaign would be to highlight how people of the national capital "were cheated by the BJP".

It said the campaign for full statehood will start on the death anniversary of freedom fighters Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev.

Ahmedabad, Mar 22 (PTI) Former VHP leader Pravin Togadia on Friday said his newly launched political party will contest on around 100 Lok Sabha seats across the country, including 15 seats in Gujarat.

Togadia, who recently floated the Hindusthan Nirman Dal (HND), released a list of 41 candidates.

New Delhi, Mar 22 (PTI) The Yasin Malik-led Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) was banned on Friday for "promoting" secession of the militancy-hit state from the Union of India, officials said here.

Banning the outfit under various provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act after a high-level meeting on security chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, officials said the Centre is of the opinion that the JKLF is "in close touch with militant outfits" and is supporting extremism and militancy in Jammu and Kashmir and elsewhere.

New Delhi, Mar 21 (PTI) A day after a special court acquitted Swami Aseemanand and three others in the Samjhauta Express blast case, senior Congress leader Kapil Sibal Thursday sarcastically said with a verdict that "no one knows" who killed 68 people, it must be a "proud day" for the criminal justice system.

Twelve years after a blast on the Samjhauta Express killed 68 people, mostly Pakistanis, a special court in Panchkula acquitted Swami Aseemanand and three others in the case.

Hyderabad, Mar 21 (PTI) The government should appeal against Swami Aseemanand's acquittal in the Samjhauta blast case if Prime Minister Narendra Modi was really the "chowkidar" of the country, AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi has said.

Attacking Modi's "main bhi chowkidar" (I too a watchman) campaign, Owaisi at an election rally late last night said, "What kind of a chowkidar are you? 25 Indians are also among the dead in that (Samjhauta blast). Bomb blast is a terrorist offence. How are you a chowkidar?"

New Delhi, Mar 21 (PTI) Several parliamentary constituencies are set to witness high-profile contest this election with the BJP announcing its first list of candidates and fielding Union minister Smriti Irani against Congress president Rahul Gandhi in Amethi.

Irani had lost to Gandhi in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls but was seen to have put up a spirited fight.

The Congress has earlier announced the candidature of Gandhi from Amethi in Uttar Pradesh.

In 2014, Gandhi (4,08,651 votes) defeated Irani (3,00,748) by 1,07,903 votes.

New Delhi, Mar 22 (PTI) Fitch Ratings Friday cut India's economic growth forecast for the next financial year starting April 1, to 6.8 per cent from its previous estimate of 7 per cent, on weaker than expected momentum in the economy.

"While we have cut our growth forecasts for the next fiscal year (FY20, ending in March 2020) on weaker-than-expected momentum, we still see Indian GDP growth to hold up reasonably well, at 6.8 per cent, followed by 7.1 per cent in FY21," Fitch said in its Global Economic Outlook.

New Delhi, Mar 22 (PTI) The government Friday decided to boycott the Pakistan National Day event to be held at its high commission here as Kashmiri separatist leaders were also invited, an official said.

Indian government officials will stay away from the reception scheduled on the eve of Pakistan National Day, which is celebrated on March 23, the official said.