Rahul Gandhi to address poll rallies in Telangana on Thursday
Hyderabad (PTI): Congress leader Rahul Gandhi who is currently on the party's campaign trail in Telangana for the November 30 Assembly polls will address two rallies in Pedapalli and Karimnagar on Thursday.
According to the Telangana Congress' message on 'X', Rahul will participate in the ongoing three-day "Vijay Bheri Yatra", organised by the party and which began on Wednesday.
Rahul will also undertake a 'Padayatra' (foot march) from Housing Board Circle to Rajiv Chowk in Karimnagar where he will address a public meeting this evening.
Rahul Gandhi and his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Wednesday participated in a poll rally in Mulugu, attacking the ruling BRS and the BJP, alleging that both have a "tacit understanding."
Rahul Gandhi had also charged that the BJP wants the BRS to win the Telangana polls and that the saffron party, the BRS and the Asaduddin Owaisi-led AIMIM are working together in trying to defeat the Congress.
Reacting to the Congress leader's comments, Owaisi last night said as predicted Rahul Gandhi's "B-Team campaign began and asked why he "gifted" his Amethi Lok Sabha seat to the BJP.
"As predicted Rahul baba's "B-Team" rona has begun. Why did he gift his Amethi seat to BJP? And why is BJP so weak in Telangana if it has B-Teams here? Why did Baba have to go to Wayanad to find a "safe seat?"
"My Royal Enfield has more seats than what BJP-CongRSS combine will have in Telangana Assembly," Owaisi said last night in a post on 'X'.
Telangana Assembly elections: Visuals of Congress' 'Vijay Bheri Yatra', led by party MP Rahul Gandhi, in Hyderabad. pic.twitter.com/AopNovgO26
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) October 19, 2023
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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.
