Chattisgarh CM hits back at BJP for tweet claiming he played mobile game during Cong meeting
Raipur (PTI): The BJP on Wednesday claimed Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel was busy playing a game on his mobile phone during a Congress meeting over selection of candidates for the upcoming assembly polls as he knows his party will not retain power in the state.
Reacting to it, Baghel said he will continue to play traditional games of the state as well as 'Candy Crush', which he said is his favourite, and that it for the people of Chhattisgarh to decide who will stay in power.
The Chhattisgarh assembly polls will be held in two phases on November 7 and 17 and votes will be counted on December 3.
The opposition BJP in Chhattisgarh on Wednesday shared a picture in which the CM is seen playing a game on his mobile phone. The picture is said to be taken during the Congress screening committee meeting which took place at Rajiv Bhavan, the party's state office, in capital Raipur on Tuesday night.
Congress state in-charge Kumari Selja, state party chief Deepak Baij and other leaders were seen in the meeting while chairman of the screening committee Ajay Maken and some other members attended the meet virtually.
BJP's national IT cell head Amit Malviya posted the picture on his X handle and wrote, "Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel is also relaxed as he knows that no matter how much he tries, the government will not come."
"Perhaps, instead of paying attention to the meeting related to Congress candidate selection, he thought it appropriate to play CANDY CRUSH," he added.
The post was shared by the state BJP unit.
Reacting to it, CM Baghel in a post on X said, "Earlier BJP had objected to why I ride gedi, why do I play bhaura and gilli danda (traditional games of Chhattisgarh) and why Chhattisgarh Olympics are being held in the state?"
"Got a photo before a meeting yesterday in which I am playing Candy Crush. Now the BJP has an objection to that. In fact, they even have objection to my existence. But it is the people of Chhattisgarh who decide who will stay and who will not."
"I will continue to ride gedi and play gilli danda. Candy Crush is also my favourite. I have passed the levels so far well and it will continue. Rest Chhattisgarh knows whom to bless," he added.
Gedi is a bamboo-made pole used by people to walk or run during the traditional Hareli festival in the state.
The ruling Congress in the state has so far not declared any candidate for polls to the 90-member state assembly.
The BJP has so far declared names of its candidates for 85 seats.
पहले भाजपा को ऐतराज़ था कि मैं गेड़ी क्यों चढ़ता हूं, भौंरा क्यों चलाता हूं, गिल्ली डंडा क्यों खेलता हूं, प्रदेश में छत्तीसगढ़िया ओलंपिक क्यों हो रहे हैं?
— Bhupesh Baghel (@bhupeshbaghel) October 11, 2023
कल एक बैठक से पहले फ़ोटो मिल गई जिसमें मैं कैंडी क्रश खेल रहा हूं। अब भाजपा को उस पर ऐतराज़ है।
दरअसल उनको मेरे होने पर ही… pic.twitter.com/PtEfmrSrps
छत्तीसगढ़ के मुख्यमंत्री भूपेश बघेल भी निश्चिंत हैं, उन्हें पता है कि कितनी भी माथा-पच्ची कर लें सरकार तो आनी नहीं है।
— Amit Malviya (@amitmalviya) October 10, 2023
शायद इसीलिए कांग्रेस के प्रत्याशी चयन से संबंधित बैठक में ध्यान देने के बजाय उन्होंने CANDY CRUSH खेलना उचित समझा। 😂 pic.twitter.com/bcer39zx4o
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Real Madrid fines Valverde and Tchouaméni half a million euros each for altercation
Barcelona (AP): Real Madrid slapped players Federico Valverde and Aurélien Tchouaméni with half-a-million-euro ($588,000) fines on Friday for their altercation during practice.
The massive fines came a day after the midfielders tussled when the team trained. Valverde said in a post on social media on Thursday that no punches were thrown. But Valverde knocked his head on a table and he suffered a small cut that required a brief hospital visit.
On social media, Valverde initially called it a “meaningless fight” with a teammate and said “everything has been blown out of proportion."
His employers, however, considered it a significant enough breach of team discipline to nail both Valverde and Tchouaméni with fines that bite even the bank account of a top soccer player. The half-a-million euro penalties reflect the reputational damage the club was enduring in a chaotic end to a disappointing season.
In a statement, the 15-time European champion said its disciplinary action was concluded after both players expressed to the club “their complete remorse for what happened and apologized to one another.”
Madrid added they also apologized to their teammates, the coaching staff and club supporters, as well as showing their willingness to accept whatever disciplinary action the club deemed “opportune.”
Tchouaméni was back training with Madrid on Friday, two days before they play at Barcelona in a clasico. Madrid has to win otherwise Barcelona will be crowned La Liga champion.
After being notified of the fine, he posted a public apology to the club and its fans on social media.
“What happened this week in training is unacceptable,” Tchouaméni wrote. "I say this while thinking about the example we are expected to set for young people, whether in football or at school.
“Above all, I am sorry for the image we projected of the club.”
Valverde was not at practice due to the head knock.
Both players are set to play in the World Cup next month, with Tchouaméni playing for France and Valverde for Uruguay.
Chaotic end to a poor season
===================
The run-in between the players, who for seasons have played side by side in Madrid's midfield, came after they argued this week in previous training sessions. But tempers boiled over on Thursday. Spanish media was rife with reports that the players previously disagreed over the club's decision to let coach Xabi Alonso go after just months on the job.
It was not the only altercation involving Madrid players during training this week. Álvaro Carreras confirmed he was in a “minor” incident with a teammate. Spanish media said he and fellow defender Antonio Rüdiger got into a scuffle.
Álvaro Arbeloa, the coach who was promoted from Madrid's reserve team when Alonso was fired in January, will face tough questions on what went wrong inside the changing room when he gives a press conference on Saturday ahead of the clasico at Camp Nou.
Madrid is facing a second consecutive campaign without a major trophy amid rumors in the Spanish media that club president Florentino Pérez is considering bringing back Jose Mourinho to straighten out his underperforming team.
