Rahul Gandhi wrote to West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee ahead of a mega rally for a grand alliance of opposition parties, says "hope that rally sends a powerful message of a united India together"; After BJP's Gurgaon retreat, the Congress were driven to driven to the Eagleton Golf Resort on the outskirts of Bengaluru after four legislators ignored the party's whip and went awol; More than 40 deaths, 1,036 positive cases have been reported from January 1 to 17 in Rajasthan according to a statement by the health department; Five people have died and five are missing after an avalanche buried an SUV at Khardung La pass in Jammu and Kashmir's Ladakh on Friday morning; All this and more on today's news wrap.