Bhaichung Bhutia Exits Politics After Six Defeats

Indian football legend Bhaichung Bhutia announced his resignation from politics after his defeat in Sikkim's recent assembly elections. Bhutia, former vice president of the Sikkim Democratic Front, faced his sixth electoral loss. He emphasized his desire to contribute to Sikkim's development in sports and tourism.

In a significant move, Indian football icon Bhaichung Bhutia has announced his decision to quit politics following his recent defeat in the Sikkim assembly elections. Bhutia, who served as the vice president of the Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF), was defeated by SKM's Rikshal Dorjee Bhutia in Barfung, marking his sixth electoral loss.

Bhaichung entered politics in 2014 as a candidate for the Darjeeling Lok Sabha seat under the TMC. He founded the Hamro Sikkim Party in 2018, which later merged with the SDF. Despite his political aspirations, he faced multiple defeats, including the 2019 assembly elections and a by-election for the Gangtok assembly seat.

In his statement, Bhutia expressed hope for Sikkim's future under the new SKM government and conveyed his intentions to continue contributing to the state's sports and tourism sectors. However, he acknowledged that electoral politics was not his calling and announced his departure from the political arena.