New Leader of Opposition in Karnataka Assembly will be known by Sunday: Bommai
Bengaluru, July 01: Former Karnataka Chief Minister and senior BJP leader Basavaraj Bommai said it will be known by Sunday as to who will be the Leader of Opposition in the State Legislative Assembly.
According to party sources, BJP's legislature party meeting is likely to take place on Sunday to elect its leader, who will also be the Leader of Opposition in the Assembly, ahead of the legislature session starting from July 3.
''It will be known surely tomorrow evening,'' Bommai told reporters in Chikkamagaluru on Saturday, in response to a question as to who will be the Leader of Opposition.
According to BJP sources, the party national general secretary in-charge of Karnataka Arun Singh, has already gathered opinions of the newly elected legislators, and the new leader is likely to be chosen based on it and the outcome of consultations with the BJP's national leadership.
Bommai and senior leader and former Union Minister Basanagouda Patil Yatnal are said to be the frontrunners for the post.
Questions were raised from several quarters, including the ruling Congress, regarding the delay in electing the Leader of Opposition by the BJP.
Also there were criticisms alleging lack of strong or capable face in the BJP and infighting for the delay in appointment.
However, several BJP leaders including Bommai had hit back stating that the Leader of Opposition will be chosen, ahead of the full fledged Assembly session, as has been the practice.
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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.
