K'taka HM Parameshwara hopes for "political promotion" in 2026, says he too has ambitions
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara on Thursday hinted about his Chief Ministerial aspirations, asserting he too has ambitions like everyone and expects a "political promotion" this year if the Congress high command decides so.
The senior leader, who had served as state Congress chief in the past, had in November said that he too was in the race to become the CM, amid speculations about a change in the state's top post.
"The political promotion should happen in 26 (2026). It is left to our high command. If the high command does it (promotes), it will happen," Parameshwara told reporters in response to a question.
Asked whether he is optimistic about it, he said, "I have lived so far as an optimist, so it is not something new to me. Don't you have (ambition) to become something in life. A human should have ambition, if not he is not human."
"I too have ambition like everyone else. When I joined politics, naturally I had an ambition to become MLA and Minister. From each step there will be a desire to go one more step ahead, but it is all left to our high command," he added.
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Asked whether the situation was favourable for him, Parameshwara said, "you (media) are observing it every day as to whom the situation is favourable and to whom it is not."
"You people watch it through the camera lens, it may appear to you in detail."
The power tussle within the ruling party has intensified amid speculations about a change in chief minister in the state, after the Congress government reached the halfway mark of its five-year term on November 20.
The speculation was fueled by the "power-sharing" pact between CM Siddaramaiah and Deputy CM D K Shivakumar in 2023.
Amid the ongoing power tussle for the top post, there has also been demand for a "Dalit CM" within the ruling Congress, in case of leadership change, with Parameshwara, a senior leader from the community, as a prime contender.
There have been speculations within the party circles that Siddaramaiah's faction will push for Parameshwara or other senior leaders among them for the CM post, in case of any change of guard.
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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.
