Hyderabad (PTI): Stepping up the attack on the Congress in the run-up to the November 30 Legislative Assembly polls in Telangana, ruling BRS Working President K T Rama Rao on Wednesday alleged it could not ensure adequate power supply in Karnataka, the home state of its president Mallikarjun Kharge.

The Congress would derail the progress achieved in the state if it comes to power in the Assembly polls, he claimed.

Addressing an event here where leaders from other parties joined the BRS, he claimed that farmers in neighbouring Karnataka are now regretting having voted the Congress to power.

The farmers have brought a crocodile to an electricity supply office in Karnataka in protest against power cuts, he said.

"In the home state of All India Congress Committee president (Mallikarjun) Kharge ji, farmers are now regretting that they have done a mistake by handing over power to these people. Such people are now seeking one chance by hoodwinking our farmers," he said.

He claimed that Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) president A Revanth Reddy favoured only three hours of power supply to farmers against the 24x7 free supply given to agriculture by the BRS government.

The Congress is seeking one chance for power in Telangana but it was given 11 chances in the past, said Rama Rao, son of Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao.

The Congress, however, could not ensure adequate supply of power, water and others during its long rule in undivided Andhra Pradesh, he alleged.

Saying that power, irrigation, drinking water supply and welfare programmes have witnessed improvement during the BRS rule, Rama Rao claimed that the situation would turn bad if the Congress is handed over the reins of power.

"Kharge ji, there is no certainty, it's only a five hours power supply in your home state. What can you and your party achieve in Telangana," he said.

He also said BRS is starting the new campaign programme of 'KCR bharosa' (assurance) to take its election manifesto to the people.

Rama Rao highlighted the poll promises of BRS, including hike in monetary benefits under social security pensions and 'Rythu Bandhu' investment support scheme for farmers, releasing annual job calendar to fill up vacancies in government departments.

 

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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.