"Congress is another name for Horse trading": H D Kumaraswamy
Bengaluru: "Congress is another name for horse trading" said JD(S) leader H D Kumaraswamy on Tuesday as he slammed the party's erstwhile state ally for its nationwide "Save Democracy" campaign against the BJP, accusing it of trying to topple democratically elected governments.
The former Chief Minister said Congress is an expert in dividing political parties and purchasing MLAs. In fact, the term horse trading in politics came to be in use because of it, he said.
"Congress has launched a nation-wide Save Democracy, campaign against the BJP which is buying MLAs to topple democratically elected governments.
What has Congress done it? Haven't they lured all BSP MLAs who supported the Congress to form the government in Rajasthan? Is this not a buyout?" Kumaraswamy asked.
In a statement, he sought to know whether luring MLAs of the party which supported them through political shenanigans and merging the party which supported them was democratic behaviour.
"If you are dividing like minded party MLAs supporting (you) through deceit, who would support you? Are these mistakes not visible to you?" he asked the Congress.
In a politically significant development in Rajasthan, all six Bahujan Samaj Party MLAs had merged the legislative party with the Congress in September last year.
Kumaraswamy also reminded the Congress, which was crying hoarse about purchase of MLAs, that it had divided the JD(S) in Karnataka in the past.
"Haven't they made attempts to divide? Is it not a fact that for the sake of one Rajya Sabha seat, the Congress government in Karnataka purchased eight JD(S) MLAs? Is this democracy?
Both parties (Congress and BJP) are criminals in purchase matters."
Eight JD(S) MLAs had voted against the party's official candidate and supported Congress in the biennial elections to Rajya Sabha from Karnataka in 2016.
"When S M Krishna was the CM (of Karnataka), didn't the Congress buy our MLAs? Didn't the Congress conspire to form a government after the 2018 Assembly polls by buying our MLAs?
Does Congress have the moral courage to answer these questions?" Kumaraswamy asked.
In 2004, the Congress tried to divide JD(S), he said, adding that to avoid the party being hijacked by them, he had to oust the Dharam Singh led Congress-JD(S) coalition government through a political coup.
Noting that the Anti Defection Law is not effective because of which these "anti-democratic farces" are being enacted, Kumaraswamy said it is imperative to make those who defect and their family members not contest elections at least for two terms, besides disqualifying them from holding any office.
"Let there be a debate on this. Let democracy survive," he said.
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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.
