In poll-bound Karnataka, JD(S) MLA S R Srinivas resigns, to join Congress
Bengaluru (PTI): JD(S) MLA S R Srinivas (Gubbi Srinivas) on Monday submitted his resignation as a legislator to the Karnataka Assembly Speaker, ahead of the polls in the state, and said he will be soon joining the Congress.
Mr Srinivas was accused of cross-voting in the June 2022 Rajya Sabha polls, which according to the JD(S), contributed to the defeat of its candidate D Kupendra Reddy.
Last year, the JD(S) had expelled Mr Srinivas, and had even moved a petition to have him, along with another MLA K Srinivas Gowda from Kolar, disqualified under the anti-defection law. "After my resignation is accepted (by the Speaker) I will discuss with Congress leaders about joining the Congress officially...I'm planning to join Congress officially on March 31, after discussing with taluk leaders, I will decide," Mr Srinivas said.
Stating that he was resigning as JD(S) legislator with a lot of pain, he claimed that he was forced to take such a step by the party leadership, who expelled him on the basis of "false allegations." "I had worked under the leadership of (H D) Deve Gowda and (H D) Kumaraswamy in JD(S) for about 20 years, today I'm resigning as that party MLA with a heavy heart and a lot of pain. Deve Gowda had treated me like a son and encouraged me to work, I thank him wholeheartedly. Kumaraswamy too used to treat me like his own younger brother, but not sure as to what made him oust me from the party," Mr Srinivas said.
Speaking to reporters, he said he has submitted his resignation as JD(S) MLA to Speaker of Karnataka Legislative Assembly Vishweshwar Hegde Kageri. "Speaker has said he will examine it." "I'm in a lot of pain today leaving JD(S), I have no options. In October, 2021 Kumaraswamy announced a JD(S) candidate from my seat even as I was still in the party, from that day the distance between us widened. He had also made certain false allegations against me, like holding me responsible for Deve Gowda's defeat in 2019 Lok Sabha polls from Tumakuru. I had never done such anti-party activity and had honestly served the party," he added.
Also noting that he was unnecessarily expelled from the party by making certain "confusing false allegations", by accusing him of cross voting during Rajya Sabha polls, Mr Srinivas said, "I don't know who said what against me to Kumaraswamy, he acted against me and expelled me."
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
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
===================
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.
