Bhaichung Bhutia resigns from Trinamool Congress

In a major blow to Mamata Banerjee's Trinamool Congress, former star footballer Bhaichung Bhutia on Monday resigned from the party.

In a tweet, Bhutia said: “As of today I have officially resigned from the membership and all the official and political posts of All India Trinamool Congress party.I am no longer a member or associated with any political party in India,” he said.

There has been no reaction from the Trinamool Congress so far. Bhutia, who joined the Trinamool Congress in 2013, contested on the party ticket from Darjeeling in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls. He has, however, lost to BJP’s SS Ahluwalia by a vote margin of nearly 2 lakh.

The Padma Shri winner, who belongs to Sikkim had recently gone against the party line by expressing his support for a separate Gorkhaland.

Also, there have been recent speculations about the star joining the BJP.