In what can be a major embarrassment to Narendra Modi & his government, ex-French president François Hollande has stated that ‘Indian Govt proposed Reliance, we had no choice’. Hollande made these comments in his latest interview to a leading French newspaper. With such comments directly coming from the former French president, tempers arose in India between the government and Opposition.

Congress president Rahul Gandhi, who has been targeting Modi sarkar over Rafale deal with France, has now got a shot in the arm. Rahul and Opposition leaders have intensified the attack against BJP.

“The PM personally negotiated & changed the #Rafale deal behind closed doors. Thanks to François Hollande, we now know he personally delivered a deal worth billions of dollars to a bankrupt Anil Ambani. The PM has betrayed India. He has dishonoured the blood of our soldiers,” said Rahul Gandhi.

However, the incumbent French government has stepped in and tried to ‘cover’ it up. It clarified saying that there is no role in selecting Indian partners for Rafale.

But what’s further interesting is that the statement by the French govt doesn’t say anywhere that Hollande’s statement about Rafale deal is incorrect or wrong. It just stated the procedure for selection of offset partners by French firms.

Hollande has certainly dropped a big bomb over Rafale deal. All these clearly indicate a big embarrassment and trouble for Narendra Modi. Congress has been accusing Modi of helping Anil Ambani by recommending him to then French Government for Rafale.

What is Rafale Deal?

India had purchased 36 multirole fighter aircrafts for a price estimated to be worth Rs 58,000 crore (7.8 billion Euros) by The Defence Ministry of India from France’s Dassault Aviation.

Allegations

The allegation by Rahul Gandhi is that Modi had nominated Anil Ambani’s Reliance Defence Industries as France’s India partner in the Rafale jet deal.

During a no-confidence motion debate on 21 July 2018, Rahul Gandhi had made bold and direct accusations against Narendra Modi. The prime minister dismissed the allegations as ‘childish’ as the program’s interactions are between the governments of India and France, without any middlemen. Both governments had officially refuted the charges then.

But with the confession of former French president that India had recommended Reliance Defence Industries and France didn’t have an option, it is likely to stroke a major political controversy.

‘Mahaa’ Murthy who had resigned to his post in Mahaa news owing to his alleged ‘sting’ operation against Pawan Kalyan’s Janasena, has got a new job. Murthy would be joining TV5 news channel. Sources in the know confirmed the development. Murthy’s role and his post are not yet revealed. It is buzzed that it is going to be a significant role.

Murthy had earlier aired a story in Mahaa news over Janasena’s ‘secret meeting’ which was held to meet the potential donors for the party from a particular community. This story seems to have put Murthy in a tight spot. However, Murthy stood by his story and claimed that he hasn’t revealed several facts although he knew about them.

After resigning, Murthy in a YouTube video interview stated that he didn’t want to trouble the management of the channel (Mahaa) and its employees for his stories. He said he has put in papers for fair reasons. This is after Pawan’s hard core fans have heavily criticized Murthy and his stories online. The war between Pawan’s fans and Murthy seems to have become head-ache for the channel.

Let’s see, what would be Murthy’s fresh stand in the new job.

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The sudden talk of “retirement from politics” from Telangana chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao’s nephew and Telangana irrigation minister T Harish Rao kicked up a storm in Telangana political circles on Saturday.Harish made the statement while addressing a huge rally at Ibrahimpur village near Siddipet, which he had adopted.

The villagers on Friday passed a resolution stating that all of them would vote for him in the coming elections.“I am overwhelmed by your affection and love. I don’t need anything else. I feel like retiring from politics as I enjoy your support and love,” he said in an emotional tone.It is not known whether he had made the statement out of emotion or it was a calculated statement. But political observers say it clearly indicates the brewing discontent in Harish over the way he was being sidelined by the family of TRS president.

Though he continued to remain loyal to KCR and has also been moving closely with his uncle, Harish is apparently feeling suppressed by KCR’s son K T Rama Rao and daughter Kavitha.A party source said if the TRS gets more than 80 seats, KTR would take the entire party and the power under his control and even push KCR to the sidelines.

It would mean the end of the road for Harish after the elections.

“Since Harish is a master strategist and can wield his influence over several districts of northern Telangana, he is being untouched. But once the elections are over, KTR would not hesitate to push Harish out of the party, if necessary or make him an insignificant character,” sources said.However, Harish is said to be having his own plans. If the TRS gets bare minimum majority, he would not hesitate to split the party and join hands with the rivals to avoid KTR from taking over the reins.

“But if his plans do not work out, he would quietly retire opt out from the party politics and wait for another five years,” the sources said.

Senior Telugu Desam Party leader and Andhra Pradesh minister for human resources development Ganta Srinivasa Rao would have joined the YSR Congress party by now, had there been serious objections raised from some senior leaders from the party.According to highly placed sources, Ganta, who was peeved with TDP president and Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu, almost decided to get out of the party.

He strongly believed that Naidu was entertaining complaints against him from his colleague Ch Ayyanna Patrudu.What is more, He was disgruntled over a survey purportedly conducted by former MP Lagadapati Rajagopal’s team which said Ganta would lose his seat in the assembly elections from Bhimili in 2019.Apparently, Ganta believed that the survey was done at the behest of Naidu and suspected that the chief minister might axe him in the next elections.

Moreover, Ganta has also realised that the TDP has bleak chances of returning to power again in the next elections and may be, he is looking for an alternative to sustain his political career.So, he is learnt to have sent feelers to YSR Congress party president Y S Jaganmohan Reddy, not through Andhra leaders, but through a top leader in Telangana Rashtra Samithi who is closer to Jagan. And the YSRC chief, too, reportedly gave the consent.

“However, a senior YSRC leader, who has been advising Jagan on all key matters, put spokes in the plan and brainwashed Jagan against Ganta. Apparently, he told the YSRC chief that Ganta’s entry would damage the party in Visakhapatnam because of allegations of land grabbing against him and also the irregularities in higher education in collusion with his brother-in-law Municipal administration minister P Narayana. After that Jagan did not respond to Ganta’s further negotiations,” the sources said.

Having no other option, Ganta decided to stay back in the TDP, after Naidu assured him of retaining him from Bheemili in 2019 as well.

Tollywood fightmaster, artiste GV Sudhakar Naidu has all set take a plunge in Telangana politics as he is keen to contest for MLA seat from Kukatpally constituency in the Assembly elections.

Speaking to media persons on Friday, Sudhakar Naidu said that he would soon launch a campaign in Kukatpally Assembly segment. He said he would reach people through his campaign and named it as – ‘I Love Kukatpally’ to address their problems.

The Tollywood actor said that he would soon organise a press meet briefing about his clear-cut political campaign, agenda and political future at the earliest. He further stressed the need for teaching a stern lesson for the political parties those who rule the state by dividing people on the lines of religion. He added that the ruling parties in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh have failed to fulfill the aspirations of the people.

The actor later took part in Ganesh celebrations with residents of Dharma Reddy colony in Phase I of KPHB where he offered special prayers to Lord Ganesha. Meanwhile, political heat in Telangana is rising a few notching with each passing day as candidates vying for party tickets. It may be recalled that Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao had called for early polls by dissolving the Telangana Assembly a fortnight ago.

Known for his strange political strategies, power star and Jana Sena Party chief Pawan Kalyan has once again decided to come out of the oblivion and go back into the people, after taking a sabbatical for more than a month.According to a party statement, Pawan will get back into the people from Sunday.Strangely, he has chosen “Rottela Panduga” (Roti festival), a popular religious festival to be held at Barah Shaheed Dargah in Nellore district, to stage a comeback.

After participating in this festival, the Jana Sena chief will resume his “Jana Porata Yatra” from Eluru in West Godavari, where he had stopped his yatra on August 22.He would tour the Polavaram irrigation project, visit the villages which are going to be submerged to understand the rehabilitation and resettlement issues and then cover almost all the seven assembly constituencies which he had not covered in the past.

“The tour will continue non-stop before he enters East Godavari district,” a statement from JSP political affairs committee said.This guest appearances of Pawan in public have drawn a lot of flak from the people and also political observers.When the two districts of West and East Godavari districts were reeling under heavy floods in the last week of August, Pawan was nowhere to be seen.

He just avoided visiting the place in the name of security issues and also eye-infection.It is not that Pawan has been taking rest. He made public appearance in Hyderabad on one or two occasions and has been confined to issuing social media postings occasionally.Interestingly, he was evincing interest in contesting the early elections in Telangana and even entered into an understanding with the CPI-M.

Now, it remains to be seen how far he will stick to his commitment to continue the yatra in West Godavari. May be, he will take another break before entering East Godavari!