Former India soccer captain-turned Trinamool Congress leader Baichung Bhutia has quit his party, the Sikkim born footballer has said. The former India striker wrote on Facebook and Twitter that he had resigned from the primary membership of his party and that he was not attached to any outfit “as of now.” He wrote “I have officially resigned from the membership and all the official and political posts of All India Trinamool Congress Party” adding, “I am no longer a member or associated with any political party in India.
The soccer icon had vainly contested two elections on TMC ticket. First time he lost out to the BJP in 2014 lok Sabha polls and then he conceded defeat in 2016 Assembly polls. While political grapevine hazarded wild guesses about his future course of action and Bhutia presently holidaying abroad kept cards close to his chest.
Sources said the BJP had emerged as a frontrunner in making good use of his stature in building up the party in Sikkim.
The speculations found impetus in Union Minister Kiren Rijiju’s tweet claiming “Baichung Bhutia’s resignation from the TMC was expected,” as notwithstanding his high regards for Mamata Banerjee he was “unable to cope with the situation. He desires to do more for football and Sikkim.”
The Trinamool leadership maintained a studied silence --apparently considering Bhutia’s inspirational outreach in Darjeeling which was limping back to normalcy after a bloody political turmoil.