Sikkim election: Bhaichung Bhutia, former star footballer, trails in final round

As the counting of votes in the Sikkim Assembly elections enters the final lap, the ruling SKM seems to have been looking at a landslide. Around 10.30 in the morning, SKM was leading in 30 of the 32 seats, while the rival SDF was ahead in one constituency.

SDF is the main opposition party in the state.

Former India football captain and SDF candidate Bhaichung Bhutia was trailing SKM rival Riksal Dorjee Bhutia by 4,346, votes in the Barfung Assembly seat. This is from the third and final round of counting.


The former star footballer had set up his own party -- Hamro Sikkim Party -- in 2018, before merging it with SDF in 2023. Bhutia is currently the vice-president of the SDF.

Before this election, Bhutia was fielded twice from West Bengal by Trinamool Congress - the 2014 Lok Sabha polls from Darjeeling, and the 2016 assembly elections from Siliguri. He came up short on both occasions.