Minister Parameshwara says ready to resign to make way for new faces if high command asks him
Bengaluru (PTI): With voices emerging from within the party that ministers in the cabinet should be replaced with fresh faces after a while, Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara on Tuesday said he was ready to resign if the Congress party leadership asks him to do so.
He said that the party high command would take decisions at an appropriate time regarding the cabinet reshuffle and whether three more deputy chief ministers would be appointed.
"It's good, it is good that everyone should become minister, everyone should get an opportunity," the 72-year-old Parameshwara said about the reported demand by ministerial aspirants to change incumbents after 20 months of this government's tenure to make way for new faces.
Speaking to reporters here, he said it is for the Congress high command to decide, as appointment of ministers or their replacements are not decided at the state level.
Asked if he is ready to quit as minister if the situation arises, he said, "Oh yes! Any time. Didn't I quit as minister and take up the party responsibility (as KPCC chief) in the past? I have done it in the past. If asked even now, I would do it."
Last week's dinner meeting at Parameshwara's residence, with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Social Welfare Minister H C Mahadevappa and PWD Minister Satish Jarkiholi in attendance, triggered rumours that the home minister could be in the race to be CM in the event of a change of guard.
Replying to a question on the demand from certain quarters that there should be three more deputy chief ministers in the state, he said it is left to the Congress high command to decide what position should be given to whom. They will decide on it at an appropriate time, he said.
There have been voices within a section of the state Congress, such as Cooperation Minister K N Rajanna who are pitching for three more DCMs in Karnataka ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls -- one each from Veerashaiva-Lingayat, SC/ST and minority communities.
The Congress had decided that D K Shivakumar will be "the only" Deputy CM amid stiff competition between him and Siddaramaiah for the chief minister's post after the assembly election results came out in May this year.
Asked about the reported trip scheduled by PWD Minister Satish Jarkiholi to Dubai along with 50 former and current legislators after Deepavali, which has led to speculations in the political circles, and the message it would send, Parameshwara said, "I don't know, let's see who all go and then we will get to know."
"If our legislators are going, we will have to then see what and why. Whether they are going for a pleasure trip or whether they are going there on the invitation of Kannada associations there (for Rajyotsava or state formation day celebrations)," he said.
Jarkiholi, who is reportedly miffed about certain developments in the government and the party, had recently said that he has had to make several "compromises" over the past four months.
Noting that state Congress president D K Shivakumar has warned against making any unnecessary statements regarding the party's internal matters, Parameshwara, the former KPCC chief, said the high command too has asked not to make comments that would lead to confusion.
Responding to a question on BJP MLA and former Minister Ramesh Jarkiholi predicting the collapse of the Congress government in the state, Parameshwara said every BJP leader is speaking about the Congress, instead of what is happening within their own party.
"They (BJP leaders) seem to be more interested in our party and looking at joining our party. If not, why will someone show so much interest," he said, adding that the party would decide whether to take them in or not if they express interest.
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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.
