K'taka BJP issues notices to 11 party men for 'anti-party activity' and 'causing embarrassment'
Bengaluru, June 30: The Karnataka BJP has served notices to eleven party men so far for allegedly indulging in "anti-party activity" during the Assembly election, and also to those causing embarrassment by making public statements against it and its leaders.
The party has decided to inquire into the anti-party activities and take disciplinary action against those involved.
The decision was taken at a meeting of BJP leaders attended by state party president Nalin Kumar Kateel and former chief minister and parliamentary board member B S Yediyurappa among others on Friday.
"It has been decided to inquire into those who have indulged in anti-party activities during the election, and take disciplinary action. We have personally spoken to those who are making statements that have caused embarrassment to the party. Notices have been issued, and they have been clearly told not to make such statements in the future," Kateel told reporters after the meeting.
Asked details about who has been given notice, Kateel, without revealing names, said, "We have given notice to 11 people so far."
Yediyurappa said that the party men have been instructed that none of them should make statements that will cause embarrassment to the BJP.
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"We have called those who have made such statements and spoken to them. They have been told to be cautious and ensure that such a situation doesn't arise, else appropriate action will be taken. A decision has been taken in this regard," he said.
Karnataka BJP on Thursday issued notice to former Honnali MLA M P Renukacharya for his "anti-party" remarks. He has been given one week's time to give a written reply to the show cause notice issued by the state disciplinary committee of the party.
The party had officially released the notice served to Renukacharya, but not others.
Renukacharya on Thursday said the party's state president Kateel should have resigned from the post, taking moral responsibility for the Assembly poll debacle.
Targeting party leaders without taking any names, the former minister alleged that the BJP office has been turned into a "corporate office", and urged them to introspect and work towards strengthening the party and boosting the morale of the workers for the Lok Sabha elections and the zilla and taluk panchayat polls, among others.
Several BJP leaders have recently come out in the open criticising their own colleagues, following the Assembly polls debacle, with statements that "adjustment politics" (with a section of the Congress leaders) contributed to the party's rout in the Assembly elections, sparking off a political debate.
Mysuru MP Pratap Simha and BJP national secretary C T Ravi were among those who had alleged "adjustment politics'. Though they had not named anyone, it was largely seen as comments directed at former Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai and his predecessor B S Yediyurappa.
Speaking to reporters after the meeting today, Yediyurappa said it has been decided that he along with other leaders will lead the protests on July 4 both inside and outside the Legislature, demanding that the Congress government in the state implement poll guarantees in full, as promised.
"Congress had gone door to door and had given guarantee cards signed by Siddaramaiah and D K Shivakumar (Deputy CM and state Congress chief). We have discussed demanding full implementation of those guarantees without fail. On July 4 in front of Gandhi statue at Vidhana Soudha, hundreds of our party workers will stage a day-long protest Satyagraha," he said.
Inside the Legislative Assembly and Council, BJP legislators will stage protests on the same issue, Yediyurappa said, adding, that the Congress government, as promised, should give 10 kg of free rice to the poor, Rs 3,000 every month for unemployed graduates, Rs 1,500 for unemployed diploma holders, 200 units of free power without conditions to households, Rs 2,000 to women per month. It should also withdraw the power tariff hike, he added.
Kateel too urged the government to fulfill the promises made ahead of the polls.
He said, "Along with 5 kg of rice provided by the BJP government at the Centre, the state government should give 10 kg as promised by the Congress. Congress is now saying that they will give only 5 kg and that too not rice, but will give money instead. We will fight demanding that the state government give 10 kg of rice in addition to 5 kg by the Centre."
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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.
