Now BJP MLA quits WhatsApp groups of the party
Kolkata (PTI): Actor-turned-BJP MLA Hiran Chatterjee on Wednesday followed the footsteps of Union Minister Shantanu Thakur and quit all WhatsApp groups of the party's state unit but asserted that he has no plans to quit the saffron camp.
Chatterjee had joined BJP about a year ago and had won the Kharagpur Sadar assembly.
Thakur had quit all WhatsApp groups of BJP's state unit on Sunday alleging under representation of the backward Matua community, to which he belongs, in the recently formed state and district committees of the party.
Chatterjee, who had been the sole winner from the party in Paschim Medinipur district, told reporters, "My decision was prompted by the realization that my service is not required by state BJP. Most decisions relating to programmes of the party in my constituency are taken without my knowledge."
He said the BJP central leadership - party president J P Nadda and others were sympathetic to his situation and promised to take up the issue with the state unit, but "nothing has happened."
Chatterjee without naming Medinipur MP Dilip Ghosh, who is also the BJP national vice-president, said "The Kharagpur district unit president who was the former state unit chief unilaterally takes all decisions regarding the programmes of the party unit when I am away from my constituency."
To questions on whether he has any plans to quit the party, Hiran replied in the negative.
"No. I want to work under the leadership of Narendra Modi. I have been voted by people of Kharagpur Sadar as BJP candidate. I will work for the people of Kharagpur as a loyal BJP worker under the guidance of our central leaders," he said categorically.
Contacted for his comments, BJP state president Sukanta Majumdar said "We have nothing to say on this matter."
Chatterjee had voiced his reservation earlier too when his picture went issing from BJP hoardings put up in Kharagpur town. Pictures of Ghosh, Nadda, leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari were seen in the hoardings. "Don't know the reason behind the omission of my picture, but it doesn't matter. People of Kharagpur are with me," he had said.
On Monday in a major embarrassment to BJP, Union Minister of State for Ports, Shipping and Waterways Shantanu Thakur, and a leader of the politically powerful Matua community, quit all WhatsApp groups of the party's state unit.
Thakur had told reporters on Tuesday, "It seems the state BJP leadership does not think that we (Matuas) have any important role within the organization."
His stance along with the move by 5 BJP MLAs last month to quit the party's WhatsApp groups have left their future course of action wide open, said analysts.
Five BJP MLAs - Mukutmoni Adhikari, Subrata Thakur, Ambica Roy, Asok Kirtania and Asim Sarkar had expressed their displeasure over their omission from the state party committee and quit the WhatsApp group of MLAs of the saffron party.
Adhikari had said that the aspirations of the people of his constituency may not be fulfilled by the newly formed BJP state committee.
Roy, however later expressed his wish to rejoin the BJP WhatsApp group on December 27, two days after quitting it and said he would sort out any difference with the party.
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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.
