GANGTOK: Former Indian football captain Bhaichung Bhutia has exited the political field, stating that electoral politics is “simply not” for him given his multiple unsuccessful bids to win a Parliamentary or Assembly seat.
In a sudden announcement on Tuesday, Bhaichung said: “After the 2024 election results I have had the realisation that electoral politics is simply not for me. I am therefore quitting all forms of electoral politics with immediate effect.”
Bhaichung had contested as a SDF candidate from his native Barfung constituency where he lost by 4,346 votes against SKM candidate Rikshal Dorjee Bhutia. The 2024 defeat adds to his earlier electoral defeats as Hamro Sikkim founder in 2019 besides the Parliamentary and Assembly losses in Darjeeling district earlier.
While bidding goodbye from electoral politics, Bhaichung congratulated Chief Minister PS Golay and the SKM party for winning the 2024 election. The people of Sikkim have given them a resounding mandate and I hope the SKM government will work to fulfil their promises and take Sikkim to greater heights across all sectors, he said.
“My only regret is that I felt I had great ideas with regard to development of sports and tourism which given a chance, I would have loved to implement and thus contribute to the growth of the State in a very honest and sincere way. Unfortunately it was not to be. I am certain there will be more people with better ideas to do so,” said Bhaichung, whose last political outing was a vice president in the Pawan Chamling-led SDF.
Bhaichung had debuted in Sikkim politics by floating regional party Hamro Sikkim Party in 2018 but the party failed to make a mark in the 2019 Assembly elections. He then merged Hamro Sikkim Party with the SDF in November, 2023 and joined the Pawan Chamling-led front.
“As Lord Buddha said, "one's intentions must be good", I can only say with utmost honesty and humility that my intention in politics was to do good, for the people of both State and country. I wish to thank everyone who supported me through thick and thin. I am also sincerely sorry if I hurt anyone unknowingly or knowingly,” said Bhaichung.
As we say in football, please take it in the spirit of the game, he added.
“I now wish to devote more time to introspect, work towards my other goals and discover my purpose anew,” said Bhaichung in his media statement.