No discussions at state level on electoral understanding with JD(S) for LS polls: Bommai
Senior BJP leader Basavaraj Bommai on Tuesday said no discussions have taken place at the state level regarding poll understanding with the JD(S) for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections and maintained that it is difficult to predict the future in politics.
The former Karnataka Chief Minister said his party is keeping watch on the discussions in the media about uniting other parties against the ruling Congress in Karnataka. ''No discussions have happened at the state level, let's see in the days to come, it is difficult to predict the future in politics,'' Bommai told reporters here in response to a question on an understanding with JD(S).
To a question about uniting other parties to ''tie up'' Congress, he said, ''such talks are taking place strongly in the press, and discussions are taking place in all channels in this regard, we are keeping a watch.'' Following the Assembly poll results, there were reports in a section of the media that JD(S) would enter into an alliance with the BJP to fight the Lok Sabha polls. It was also said that JD(S) leader and former Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy during his recent visit to New Delhi had met some senior BJP leaders.
Interestingly, Kumaraswamy on Monday said a decision on an electoral understanding for the Lok Sabha polls will be taken when the situation arises, and there is no proposal before him as of now to contest the Parliamentary elections.
Kumaraswamy was responding to a question regarding speculation of a possible alliance between the BJP and JD(S) for the Lok Sabha polls and about him contesting that election.
The BJP swept the 2019 Lok Sabha polls in Karnataka by winning 25 of the total 28 seats in the State, while an independent backed by it won in one seat. The Congress and JD(S) secured one seat each.
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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.
