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Legendary footballer hands in his membership resignation

Bhaichung Bhutia is a retired Indian footballer of Sikkimese-Bhutia descent who played as a striker. Bhutia is considered to be the torchbearer of Indian football in the international arena. He scored about 40 goals in 104 matches.

One of Indian football’s modern-day greats Bhutia has announced that he will no longer continue with his career in politics. Bhutia, who had joined the All India Trinamool Congress in West Bengal has contested elections twice. 

The legendary striker took to social media to announce his decision and tweeted:

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Bhutia, retired from professional football in 2011 and decided to give a career in politics a shot from West Bengal, a state where he has been afforded a lot of affection right through his playing days. The former India captain joined the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress who came to power in the state in 2011. 

Bhutia joined the TMC in 2013, and expressed the need for more sportspersons to take up politics. A year later, in 2014, the lethal striker contested the Lok Sabha Elections from Darjeeling but unfortunately lost out to BJP’s SS Ahluwalia by a margin of 1,96,795 votes.

A Padma Shri winner in 2008, Bhutia though continued his work with the Trinamool, but in recent times he has gone against the party line by expressing his support for a separate Gorkhaland. 

Bhutia, who now is very actively involved with the Bhaichung Bhutia Football Schools in New Delhi, also contested the State elections in 2016 but lost out to CPI(M) veteran Ashok Bhattacharya in Siliguri by a margin of 14,072 votes.

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