PM Modi throws flower petals back at cheering crowd at road-show in poll-bound Karnataka
Mandya (PTI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday threw flower petals back at the crowd, at several places as he was given a rousing welcome during a massive road show in this district headquarters city.
Modi enthusiastically waved at a large number of cheering crowd, who had lined up on both sides of the route, as the ruling BJP appeared focused on winning a good number of seats in Old Mysuru region, where it is traditionally weak. Assembly elections are due in May in Karnataka.
The Prime Minister picked up the shower petals which got piled up on the bonnet of his car and was seen hurling them back at the crowd.
He also got down from his car and greeted folk artistes who staged a performance in his welcome.
Modi is in the district to dedicate the Bengaluru-Mysuru Expressway to the nation. The project involves 6-laning of the Bengaluru-Nidaghatta-Mysuru section of NH-275.
The 118 Km long project has been developed at a total cost of around Rs 8,480 crores, and will reduce the travel time between Bengaluru and Mysuru from around 3 hours to about 75 minutes.
The 1.8-km-long road show route in the city was decked up with saffron hues, as BJP flags, posters and banners were installed all along.
Standing on the 'running board' of his moving car, Modi greeted by waving at the crowd gathered on the sides of the roads and on nearby buildings, many of whom were seen chanting 'Modi, Modi' slogans and shouting loud cheers.
Mandya in Old Mysuru region is a Vokkaliga community dominated district, largely seen as a bastion of JD(S), where the Congress too is strong, and the BJP is trying to make inroads.
#WATCH | PM Narendra Modi showered with flowers by BJP supporters and locals as he holds road show in Mandya, Karnataka
— ANI (@ANI) March 12, 2023
During his visit, PM will dedicate and lay foundation stone of projects worth around Rs. 16,000 crores
(Video source: DD) pic.twitter.com/K8hvPCgpRF
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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.
