'Will return to Lok Sabha if alive,' says Brij Bhushan Singh, alleges conspiracy behind ouster
Gonda (PTI): Former Kaiserganj MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh on Wednesday alleged that he was removed from the Lok Sabha not by the people but through a conspiracy, and vowed to return to the lower house once more in his life.
Speaking in a news channel podcast, the BJP strongman said his term was cut short, and he was "humiliated and forced out."
"If I am alive, I will definitely go to the Lok Sabha once again… I will try to contest on a BJP ticket. If the party does not give a ticket, I will contest as an Independent candidate. But if I am alive, I will contest," he asserted.
He said it hurt him that he was not invited to the second year of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, even though he is a public representative.
The politician said he declined another invitation on grounds of self-respect, alleging that the original 'karsevaks' of the Ram Janmabhoomi movement were ignored while those without contribution were invited.
He said he has not yet visited Ram Lalla, and when he does, he will stand in the queue like a common man.
Recalling the period when allegations of sexual harassment were levelled against him, Singh said Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav did not make any statement against him at the time, a gesture he said he would never forget.
He said leaders from the BSP, JD(U), and RJD also refrained from making statements against him then.
On Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Singh said he feels pained when questions are raised on the army and Sanatan Dharma. He alleged that Gandhi's advisors have a Leftist mindset, due to which such issues are raised that are "liked in Pakistan."
Singh, who represented three parliamentary constituencies of the Devipatan division six times, was replaced by the BJP in the 2024 general election following allegations against him by several female wrestlers.
His son Karan Bhushan Singh was fielded from Kaiserganj and currently represents the seat.
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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.
