BJP wins Kinnigoli, Bajpe, Manki Town Panchayat elections
Mangaluru/Karwar: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) recorded a series of electoral victories across coastal Karnataka and Uttara Kannada districts on Wednesday, securing clear majorities in the Kinnigoli, Bajpe, and Manki Town Panchayat elections.
In Mulki taluk, the BJP won the Kinnigoli Town Panchayat by securing 10 of the 18 wards, while the Congress won the remaining eight. This was the first election to the Kinnigoli Town Panchayat since it was upgraded four years ago. Polling was held on December 21, and the BJP crossed the majority mark in its maiden electoral contest.
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Following the declaration of results, BJP workers celebrated across Kinnigoli. MLA Umanath Kotian, BJP district vice-president Sunil Alva, Mulki Town Panchayat president Satish Anchan, Mandal president Dinesh Putran, and other party leaders took part in the victory celebrations.
In Mangaluru taluk, the BJP secured a clear majority in the first-ever elections to the Bajpe Town Panchayat. Of the 19 wards, the BJP won 11 seats, while the Congress secured four seats, the SDPI won three seats, and one independent candidate was elected. Vote counting was conducted at the Mangaluru Mini Vidhana Soudha.
In Uttara Kannada district, BJP-backed candidates won a decisive majority in the inaugural elections to the Manki Town Panchayat in Honnavar taluk. Of the 20 wards, two Congress-backed candidates had already been elected unopposed. In the remaining 18 wards where polling took place on December 21, BJP-supported candidates won 12 seats, while Congress-backed candidates won six, taking the Congress tally to eight seats in total.
The Manki results have drawn political attention as the town falls within the home region of district in-charge minister Mankal Vaidya. Despite the minister’s influence, BJP-backed candidates secured a comfortable majority. Party workers celebrated the victories by bursting crackers and distributing sweets, with local leaders stating that the outcome would strengthen the party’s position in the region.
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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.
