BJP wants to poach MLAs, backed Chandra for RS polls sans numbers: Rajasthan CM Gehlot
Udaipur(PTI): Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot once again on Wednesday accused the BJP of the horse trading attempt ahead of the Rajya Sabha polls and asked why the party backed media baron Subhash Chandra's candidature when it lacked numbers to win the seat.
He alleged that Chandra filed his papers as the opposition BJP's intention is to poach legislators of other parties ahead of the June 10 elections to four seats of the Rajya Sabha from the state.
Gehlot's statement has come a day after Chandra claimed that eight MLAs of the ruling Congress in the state may vote for him and asked former deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot to cross sides.
The Congress is set to win two seats while the BJP is assured of one. Both parties need the support of Independent legislators and MLAs of other parties to win one more seat.
Days after the Congress shifted its MLAs to an Udaipur hotel fearing horse trading, Gehlot said the party and its MLAs are united, and all three Congress candidates will win in the Rajya Sabha elections.
"We have the support of 126 MLAs for three seats," he said referring to the support of legislators of other parties and Independents.
Questioning the BJP's support to Chandra, Gehlot said, "The intention of indulging in horse trading has been there from the beginning."
They backed the independent candidate even though they do not have the numbers to secure the seat, he said.
"Our MLAs are united and we are proud of the fact that earlier also when a political crisis came, the MLAs were united," he said apparently referring to a rebellion against him by party leader Sachin Pilot two years ago.
On the BJP writing to the Enforcement Directorate and the Election Commission alleging horse trading, Gehlot said, "The elections are there on the day after tomorrow and they are writing letters now. Actually, their conspiracy did not succeed. They are furious because they are failing in horse trading."
The Congress with its 108 MLAs in the 200-member state Assembly is set to win two seats. After winning the two spots, it will have 26 surplus votes, 15 short of the required 41 to win the third seat.
Congress leaders claim the support of 126 MLAs, including 108 from the party itself. The party needs 123 MLAs to win three seats.
The BJP has 71 MLAs in the state Assembly, enough to get one seat comfortably. After that, it will have 30 surplus votes, which along with three of the RLP are set to go to Subhash Chandra.
He will need eight more votes to win the seat.
To protect their MLAs from being lured by the rival parties, the Congress had shifted them to a hotel in Udaipur on June 2. The BJP has also shifted its MLAs to a resort on the outskirts of Jaipur in the name of a training camp.
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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.
