JD(S) heading for split? Upset state chief Ibrahim defies Deve Gowda's decision to join NDA
Bengaluru (PTI): Defying the Janata Dal (Secular) supremo and former prime minister H D Deve Gowda's decision of his party's alliance with the BJP for the Lok Sabha elections, the party's Karnataka unit president C M Ibrahim on Monday said the JD(S) will not join the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance.
Hinting at a possible split in the party, the former union minister claimed that his faction is the original JD(S) for being secular' and that being the state president he can take a decision about the outfit in Karnataka.
He appealed to former PM Gowda not to give his consent to the tie-up with the BJP because many people have quit the party in the neighbouring states.
"Our first decision is that the JD(S) will not go with the NDA. The second decision was a request to Deve Gowda that he should not give his consent to this alliance", Ibrahim told reporters after a meeting with some party leaders.
He pointed to JD(S) leaders quitting the party in Kerala, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu after the BJP-JD(S) pact.
"In Karnataka, however, we still have affection for you. You are a father figure. We will tell him (Gowda) that we should not have any relation with the BJP," Ibrahim said.
Reacting to Ibrahim's statement, former CM and JD (S) second-in-command, H D Kumaraswamy said the state party chief is "very independent" and "we will wait for his decision".
"There is one decision taken by the party workers, and all leaders. In that background, he (Ibrahim) deliberated with his supporters in the meeting convened by him. He is completely free to make his decision",
Ibrahim added that he would be forming a core committee, which will meet Deve Gowda and convey the decision taken at today's meeting.
Calling his faction the original JD(S)', Ibrahim, who had served as Civil Aviation Minister in the H D Deve Gowda-led government at the Centre, said his faction is secular'.
To a question on his future course of action if Gowda and his son H D Kumaraswamy did not agree with his decision, Ibrahim said, "I am the state president. I have to decide about my party in the state, which I will take. Already we have decided that we will not go with the BJP. What else is there more than this?"
"If Deve Gowda and Kumaraswamy have decided to go with the BJP then let them go", he said.
"We are asking them (Gowda and Kumaraswamy) not to go. If they go then we cannot bind them. Regarding (JD-S) MLAs, please wait and see who, how many and where these MLAs will take a decision. We will intimate you when time comes," the JD(S) state president said.
He claimed that many MLAs are in touch with him but declined to give their names.
"It will create pressure If I disclose their (MLA) names. I will also hold one-on-one meetings with the MLAs," Ibrahim said.
Kumaraswamy on September 22 agreed to be part of the NDA after meeting the Union Home Minister Amit Shah and party president J P Nadda in New Delhi.
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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.
