BJP woos Bhutia after he quits Trinamool Congress
SILIGURI: Handpicked by Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee to represent the Trinamool Congress (TMC) from Darjeeling, former Indian football captain Bhaichung Bhutia quit the party on Monday, but has kept everybody guessing on his next move.
However, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) topped the list of parties to woo the former striker.
Kiren Rijiju, a senior BJP leader and Union minister tweetted, “Football icon & former Indian captain Baichung Bhutia’s resignation from TMC was expected. He told me he has high regards for Mamata Banerjee but unable to cope with the situation. He desires to do more for football & Sikkim. My best wishes to Bhaichung for his future endeavour.”
DB Chauhan, BJP Sikkim state committee president, said “I am in touch with Bhutia. As we are nationalists, we, too, want him to be a part of the BJP in Sikkim.” Bengal BJP president Dilip Ghosh, too, welcomed him. “If Bhaichung wants to join us, he is welcome,” he said.
Regional outfit and main opposition in the state Sikkim Krantikari Morcha (SKM) also expressed an interest in getting Bhutia on board. “The party is in touch with Bhutia. If he wants to join the party, we would all be very happy. It would be a proud moment for us. He is an asset of Sikkim and we will pay him due respect,” said Bikash Basnet of the SKM. The SKM won 10 of the 32 assembly seats in the Himalayan state in the 2014 polls.
The ruling Sikkim Democratic Front also welcomed Bhutia. “I would just like to welcome Bai- chung in the political scenario of Sikkim, if he wishes to join it. I would just say that fame doesn’t win elections, commitment does. People are the best judges and I’m sure they’ll take the right call,” said Tshering Wangdi Lepcha, Sikkim’s forest minister.
Bhutia’s move comes just about a month after speculation in Sikkim media that the 43-yearold would enter the politics of his home state and challenge fiveterm chief minister Pawan Kumar Chamling. Assembly polls are due in Sikkim in 2019.
TMC leaders did not comment on Bhutia’s exit which he announced on social media.
“As of today I have officially resigned from the membership and all the official and political posts of All India Trinamool Congress party. I am no longer a member or associated with any political party in India,” wrote Bhutia on Facebook and Twitter.
He contested the 2014 Lok Sabha elections from Darjeeling and the 2016 Assembly polls from Siliguri on TMC tickets, but lost on both occasions.