Gangtok: Bhaichung Bhutia, the former captain of the Indian football team, faces a setback in his electoral journey once again as he trails Rikshal Dorjee Bhutia of the ruling Sikkim Krantikari Morcha by over 4,000 votes in the Barfung constituency after the conclusion of the third and final round of counting.
The overall state-wide figures also reflect a challenging situation for Mr. Bhutia and his Sikkim Democratic Front party. The incumbent SKM is poised for a significant victory, leading in 31 out of 32 seats based on the election trends.
The Sikkim assembly elections 2024 took place in a single phase on April 19, and while all leads are in, the official results are yet to be declared. Mr. Bhutia, currently the vice-president of the SDF, had previously formed his own Hamro Sikkim Party in 2018, which he merged with the SDF last year. The SDF is the main opposition party in the Himalayan state renowned for its scenic beauty.
Having previously contested elections twice from West Bengal as a Trinamool candidate - in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls from Darjeeling and the 2016 assembly elections from Siliguri - Bhutia faced defeat on both occasions. Subsequently, he shifted his electoral focus to Sikkim and established his own party. Despite his efforts, he tasted defeat in the 2019 assembly elections from Gangtok and Tumen-Lingi, as well as in the 2019 bypoll from Gangtok.
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