Kharge completes 1 year as party chief, Cong says it made 'significant progress' under him
New Delhi (PTI): As Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge completed one year in office, the party said it has made "significant progress" under his leadership and he has been instrumental in revitalising the organisational structure.
Kharge was elected as the Congress president last October after defeating Shashi Tharoor in the party's internal polls for the top post. He had officially taken over as the Congress president on October 26, 2022.
"Mallikarjun Kharge: Congress President Committed To People's Good. Shri Kharge embodies the virtues of the Indian National Congress - Virtues of democracy, social justice, secularism, inclusive growth and patriotism," the Congress said in a post on X on Thursday.
"Having risen through the ranks, he is an ideal example of what passion and persistence can achieve," it said.
From a humble position of a block-level leader to becoming the party's elected president, his journey studded with 55 years of electoral success is a testament to his hard work, dedication and commitment to the cause of democracy, the Congress said.
"He (Kharge) is a fearless leader who fights for and defends the ideals he believes in. He also champions the rights of the poor and marginalised," the party said.
"Under his leadership, the party has made significant progress. He has also been instrumental in revitalising the party's organisational structure and outreach to the people," the Congress said.
It asserted that Kharge is a visionary leader who is committed to building a better future for India. "He excels at consensus making and staunchly stands up for what is right and just," the party said.
"As our president completes a year in office, we wish him the very best and thank him for his efforts and inspiration to all those who strive to make a difference," it said.
Several Congress leaders extended their wishes to Kharge as he completed one year in office.
In a post on X, Tharoor said, "My Pranaams to Shri @kharge ji. May he lead us strongly to victory in the electoral battles ahead!"
Congress leaders Pawan Khera, Supriya Shrinate, Abhishek Singhvi and Manish Tewari, among others, hailed Kharge and wished him on completing one year in office.
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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
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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.
