Congress will win at least 141 seats, form majority govt in Karnataka: D K Shivakumar
Benglauru, May 12: Congress state president D K Shivakumar on Friday junked the exit poll results in which the party, though it gains the highest number of seats, has to contend with a hung Assembly. He insisted that the party will win at least 141 seats and form a majority government.
There was a wave in favour of the Congress, Shivakumar said, a day ahead of Saturday's counting of votes of the Assembly election.
He also ruled out the possibility of return of 'resort politics' saying that "era ended 25 years ago".
"I don't trust exit polls. I have trust in 141 seats. Our sample size is much bigger. Exit poll sample size is small. There is a major wave in favour of the Congress," Shivakumar told reporters here.
Stating that the exit poll results fluctuate by 20 seats, the Congress state chief said the number he has given will only increase and not decrease.
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"I am not disputing the exit polls showing results in our favour. I thank them but we will get a clear majority. This is my firm belief," he insisted.
Explaining the reason behind his confidence of getting 141 seats, Shivakumar said he has been on the ground and has done his homework well.
According to Shivakumar, who is a Congress candidate from Kanakapura constituency, the verdict will be in favour of the Congress despite the money spent by the BJP and their big leaders campaigning in the election.
"Whatever money the BJP people have splurged, whichever big leaders may have campaigned and toiled here, yet the ballot is stronger than the bullet," Shivakumar said.
He also ruled out the possibility of a hung assembly and said the voters did not get scared of money and the misuse of the 'double-engine BJP government'.
"I am confident that by 1 pm tomorrow, the verdict will be out. There will be no hung assembly," he added.
Regarding JD(S) leader H D Kumaraswamy's statement that he was ready for a coalition government, Shivakumar said he does not know what Kumaraswamy said.
"HDK was saying his party will get absolute majority. He said this to instill confidence among his party workers. It is his calculation," the Congress state president said.
He also appealed to JD(S) workers not to "waste their career" and instead to join the Congress.
"I am not the one to get retired. So long as I am alive and healthy, I will continue to fight and will be with the people," he said.
When asked whether he has learnt about any effort to contact winnable candidates, Shivakumar said it is natural because everyone wants to be in the ruling party.
Regarding the possibility of 'resort politics' in the event of a hung Assembly, he claimed that "resort politics ended 25 years ago itself, where all the political parties used to bring people together and displayed their unity".
He was referring to events after elections in the past wherein MLAs were corralled into resorts to prevent horse trading by rival political parties.
"The BJP people have said that whatever number (of seats) they get, they will form the government. Now it seems to be their illusion," he said.
Shivakumar dismissed speculations about distribution of power even before the election results are announced. "Our line is the same as what our party national president Mallikarjun Kharge, Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi say."
Regarding BJP Minister R Ashoka's statement that in the event of a hung Assembly, the BJP "will retain the cup (form the government)", Shivakumar said, "Let him keep the cup."
Congress general secretary and Karnataka in-charge Randeep Singh Surjewala also expressed optimism about the party's prospects.
"As far as predictions are concerned, I would like to say that we are deeply humbled and with a sense of humility while thanking the people of Karnataka for reposing faith in us. Let us wait till tomorrow. The results will be out. It will be clear. Then we will make a detailed comment," Surjewala said.
To a question on the BJP leaders saying their party will get a majority and is working on a backup plan with the JD(S), the Congress leader said, "At least one thing is clear; the BJP has admitted defeat. Once they have admitted defeat, I think your predictions are correct."
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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.
