Football legend Bhaichung Bhutia on Saturday said he was shocked by the “high level” of political interference in the All India Football Federation (AIFF) elections.
This comes after Bhutia lost to BJP leader and former goalkeeper Kalyan Choubey in the presidential election.
According to Bhutia, 45, the AIFF election should have been fought without any “political interference” and purely on football matters.
“I was surprised because I personally did not expect that political interference (in the AIFF elections) would be of such a high level. I thought it was a football president’s election and I wanted to contribute sincerely.”
“If they (their adversaries) were so sure of victory, then why did a powerful Union minister have to come to the hotel (where the voters were staying) at 9 pm (on Thursday) and stay there till 2 am on the morning of the election. on Friday) and take them all to a particular floor of the hotel.”
Bhutia, however, did not name the Union Minister, his proposer in the election and the President of the Rajasthan State Union. Manvendra Singh On Friday it was alleged that the Law Minister Kiren Rijiju were present at the hotel and asked the members to vote against the former India captain.
“Out of 34 members of the electoral college, 33 (except Gopalkrishna Kosaraju) were taken to one floor of the hotel and refused to go to the entire floor. I could not contact any voter, the network was down.
“I tried calling the secretary of Rajasthan Association, who is a voter and whose president (Manvendra Singh) was my supporter, but I could not get in touch with him over phone.
“Political interference was a shock to me and it was a very unfortunate and sad thing for Indian football.”
Bhutia was supported by Kosaraju, president of the Andhra Pradesh State Association.
The new president, Choubey, also admitted that Rijiju was present at the hotel where the voters were staying, but termed Manvendra’s allegations as “completely false”.
Another football legend IM Vijayan, Shabbir Ali and Climax Lawrence are the other three male former players who have been selected as members of the executive committee. Thong Tababi Devi and Pinky Magar are the two former female players who have been selected as members of the executive committee.
(Inputs from PTI)