Do you want to become PM at 45 by joining BJP: Cong veteran Margaret Alva to Pilot
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New Delhi: Taking a dig at Sachin Pilot over his rebellion in Rajasthan, veteran Congress leader Margaret Alva on Sunday asked why the former deputy chief minister was in such a "hurry" and whether he was "aspiring" to become the prime minister by 45 years of age by joining the BJP.
The former Union Minister also lashed out at Pilot over the timing of his rebellion and said when the entire country is fighting COVID-19 and China in the wake of the border standoff, he is seeking an appointment as Rajasthan chief minister.
Congress formed a majority government in Rajasthan and Sachin Pilot became his (Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot's) deputy. He got four important portfolios also, as well as the post of PCC (state Congress unit) chief," Alva told PTI Bhasha in an interview.
The pilot became an MP at 26, was a Union minister and later he became Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) chief followed by deputy chief minister, she said.
Where did you want to reach in such a hurry? Whether you wanted to become a chief minister at 43 and prime minister at 45 by joining the BJP, the former Rajasthan governor asked of 42-year-old Pilot.
Alva's remarks come amid the raging political firestorm in Rajasthan where Pilot declared open rebellion against the Gehlot government. Pilot was sacked as deputy chief minister and state Congress chief last week.
Though Pilot had asserted that he is not joining the BJP, the Congress has accused him of taking support from the saffron party in efforts to topple the Gehlot government.
While criticizing Pilot for his actions, Alva, however, pitched for giving voice to the young leaders in the party's decision-making process.
She also said that former Congress president Rahul Gandhi should be allowed to form a new "young team" to instill a "new approach and enthusiasm" in the grand old party.
"About 50 percent of our total population is below the age of 25 years. Young voters have different aspirations and approach. What is the average age of so-called decision-makers in the CWC (Congress Working Committee)? Barring four or five, rest are between 75 to 85. They are never allowing Rahul Ji to come forward," Alva said.
The former Congress general secretary said this is not a "tussle" with state leadership. The young leadership in the party today feels "uncomfortable" as it wants to involved in the decision-making process, she said.
"Allow Rahul Ji to build his young team in Delhi. Then, the party will have a new approach and new enthusiasm. We need to bring these people into the decision-making process. The younger generation is in discomfort. They think, how long they will keep clapping sitting outside," Alva said.
Hailing Gandhi's leadership as Congress chief, Alva said the party won elections in Goa, Manipur, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, and Bihar but at a later stage, people's mandate was upended by the BJP.
"They are doing the same in Rajasthan. The BJP is not getting popular mandate except in a few states such as Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, and Assam. They didn't get it in Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu. They were defeated in Bihar but what happened later we all know. People of this country are watching such kind of politics," she said.
On Gandhi stepping down from the post of president after the Lok Sabha polls, she said no one was happy in the party when he resigned as Congress chief.
"We all wanted him to continue. When he resigned, the party's rank and the file were not happy. It was not right of him to take all the blame on his own shoulder," Alva said.
She said the leadership problem exists not only in Congress but also in regional parties.
"Be it TDP or TRS or NCP under Sharad Pawar. No one is willing to vacate...see the CPM leadership in Kerala. What I mean to say is that there is a need in every party to relook at the leadership issue," Alva said.
Alva, who is no longer in active politics, said if there are differences or any issues within the party, it should be addressed within party forums and senior leaders cannot leave every problem for interim party chief Sonia Gandhi to deal with.
"There is a disciplinary committee, there is a working committee, there are general secretaries...what are they doing? What are these senior leaders doing? If you can't do it, leave. Give opportunity to the youth to come forward," she said.
"There is a small group which has no mass base, but is taking decisions in every party," the veteran leader said.
Asked whether it was the right time for the Congress to have a full-fledged president, Alva said no one was willing to take on the responsibility.
"If someone wants, let him come forward...in fact, no one is willing to take this responsibility," she said.
Alva said she had suggested in the past that Congress should appoint three vice-presidents for North, South, and North-East but her suggestions went unheard.
"Give these responsibilities to the younger generation," she added.
On the rebellion by Jyotiraditya Scindia in Madhya Pradesh, Alva said every demand can't be met and such leaders have no commitment for the party and its ideology.
She said Scindia was general secretary of the party and was offered the post of deputy chief minister in Madhya Pradesh, which he refused.
Scindia after leaving Congress joined the BJP.
"Congress is a big party. There are so many states. Everyone's demand can't be met," she said and added that during the times of Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi, no one had the courage to seek any "post" for himself or herself.
"This is a new era. They are the new generation...There is no commitment to ideology. There is no commitment to problems in the party and for its solutions. Those joining the BJP, have no commitment for the ideology, they are joining it just for the greed and for the sake of power," she said.
"But remember one thing, Congress can never be finished. It has a history of 150 years. During these times we won, we lost, we went to jails and we also enjoyed power, but there is none who can finish the Congress," Alva asserted.
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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.
