GANGTOK: Former Indian football captain Bhaichung
Bhutia
has given up the primary membership of
Trinamool Congress, ending his five-year-long association with the party. Bhutia made it public in a Facebook post on Monday. There he wrote that he had also resigned from all the official and political posts of Trinamool.
The Sikkim-born footballer had last month hinted at quitting Bengal politics to get politically involved in his home state during the ensuing assembly elections. His Monday's Facebook post ended all speculations. "I am no longer a member or associated with any political party in India,"
Bhaichung
tweeted. On his next political move, Bhaichung said he would speak about it in the next few days. The 41-year-old is currently holidaying with his family in Thailand.
Popularly called the Sikkimese sniper, Bhaichung had unsuccessfully contested twice as Trinamool candidate from
Darjeeling Lok Sabha
(2014) and Siliguri assembly constituency (2016). A close aide claimed that Bhaichung had been losing interest in Bengal politics and had intimated the Trinamool leadership a month ago.
Mamata Banerjee didn't take exception to Bhaichung's decision. A senior Trinamool leader said: "Bhaichung has done it like a gentleman. He told us about it a month ago. There is no bad blood. He said he was not getting associated with any party for the moment. He wants to concentrate in Sikkim politics and wants to lead a stir against the Chamling government."
Union minister Kiren Rijiju tweeted that it was expected. "My best wishes to Bhaichung for his future endeavour," he wrote. The comment triggered speculations that Bhaichung was cosying up to the BJP.
Opposition Sikkim Krantikari Morcha, once a BJP partner in Sikkim, also welcomed Bhaichung's decision. SKM spokesperson Bikash Basnett said the party wished him luck, in both politics and sports.
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