Estranged BJP MLA ST Somashekar holds meeting with Congress
Bengaluru, Apr 5: Estranged BJP MLA S T Somashekar on Friday allegedly held a meeting of his supporters to back the Congress candidate for the 2024 polls from Bangalore North Lok Sabha segment M V Rajeev Gowda, eliciting sharp reactions from the saffron party.
Rajeev Gowda, Minister Krishna Byre Gowda and other Congress leaders are seen in the pictures of the purported meeting held by the MLA in the city, which was telecast by some news channels.
The MLA from Yeshwanthpur in the city had voted in favour of Congress citing "conscience", during the polls to four seats of Rajya Sabha from Karnataka on February 27, which had caused embarrassment to the BJP.
Union Minister Shobha Karandlaje is the BJP candidate from Bangalore North and Somashekar had recently expressed his displeasure about the choice.
Claiming that he has been insulted by the BJP and its candidate, as "they don't want him", Somashekar said his supporters and people have asked him to cooperate with those who help for the development of the constituency.
ALSO READ: Police seize Rs 30 Lakh undocumented cash and sarees worth Rs 2 Lakh in Kalaburagi
BJP reacted strongly to Somashekar's move to hold the meeting.
"S T Somashekar has kept his foot outside the BJP. He has also voted against the party in the Rajya Sabha polls. So this question does not arise at all. He cannot be called our party legislator now," senior BJP leader and Leader of Opposition in the Assembly R Ashoka told reporters, when asked about the meeting with Congress leaders.
When asked why the party is not expelling him, he said, "the state (unit) has no powers to expel an MLA, only central leaders have the powers. Let the election be over, the central leaders will decide what they have to do."
State BJP President B Y Vijayendra said, "'Vinash Kale Viprit Buddhi'...We (party) will see about it in the days to come. He has committed the biggest mistake in his political life and he will pay for it."
Somashekar has already been issued a notice by the party for violating the whip in the recent Rajya Sabha polls, to which he has given a 170-page reply.
Speaking to reporters about the meeting, Somashekar said, "I had called a meeting of all those who are close to me in the constituency and have given them the information regarding the developments so far...The Lok Sabha candidate has been announced, the candidate has come to my constituency seven to eight times, till now she has neither approached me nor sought my support. When not asked, what should I do?"
Stating that he has spoken to all concerned in the constituency and none have opposed him, he said, "My self esteem has been hurt....They have asked me to cooperate with those who help the constituency."
Asked about the possibility of BJP serving him another notice, Somashekar said, "Let them give whatever they want, let them do whatever they want."
On whether he will officially join the Congress, he said, "Why should I join? There is no necessity for me to join."
"The BJP doesn't want me. The BJP candidate didn't approach me, what should I do? I have been insulted. Should we welcome someone, who was told -- go back, go back -- in Udupi-Chikmagalur," he added.
Karandlaje currently represents Udupi-Chikmagalur candidate, and there was a 'Shobha go back' campaign against her in the segment, which is said to be one among the primary reasons for her being shifted to Bangalore North.
Somashekhar was earlier in the Congress. He was among 17 Congress-JD(S) legislators, who had quit from their parties, which ultimately led to the collapse of the then H D Kumaraswamy-led coalition government in July, 2019.
He had subsequently won the bypoll on BJP ticket and served as Minister in the previous government headed by the party.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
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
===================
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.
