Over 3,000 validly nominated candidates in fray after scrutiny
D K Shivakumar's nomination papers in order
Bengaluru, Apr 21: A total of 3,044 validly nominated candidates are in the fray for May 10 Assembly polls in Karnataka, after their nominations were found to be in order during the scrutiny on Friday.
This however is excluding five Assembly segments, as the scrutiny in Savadatti-Yellamma, Aurad, Haveri (SC), Raichur and Shivajinagar constituencies is not yet completed, the Office of the Chief Electoral Officer, Karnataka said in a release.
According to official sources, the nomination of state Congress President D K Shivakumar, who had expressed apprehensions about the possibility of his papers getting rejected, has been accepted.
READ ALSO: K'taka HC dismisses DK Shivakumar's petition challenging sanction to prosecute him
Out of these 3,044 validly nominated candidates- 219 are from BJP, 218 Congress, 207 from JD(S), rest are all from small parties and Independents.
A total of 4,989 nominations have been received from these candidates.
The last date for the withdrawal of candidatures is April 24.
Shivakumar's nomination papers were accepted, according to sources. This comes after the Congress state chief claimed that the BJP's IT cell was vetting his affidavit.
In a surprise move, hours before the deadline for filing nomination, Congress MP from Bangalore Rural D K Suresh on Thursday had filed nomination from Kanakapura segment, from where his elder brother Shivakumar is the party's candidate.
Suresh has filed his papers, as a "backup plan" in the event of nomination of Shivakumar getting rejected.
They had alleged that a conspiracy was being hatched by the ruling BJP to reject Shivakumar's nomination.
Shivakumar is Congress candidate from Kanakapura Assembly segment.
"My nomination is in order. But there was information that the BJP's IT cell was examining my nomination papers. There's a conspiracy to misuse the official machinery," the KPCC chief said earlier today.
He had on Thursday claimed that 5,000 people have downloaded his assets list (which was part of his nomination affidavit).
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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.
