A former goalkeeper trounced a star former striker by 33 votes to 1 in a no-contest to become the first ex-player to head Indian football’s governing body.
Kalyan Chaubey, 45, who was a goalkeeper with the storied Mohun Bagan and East Bengal football clubs in Kolkata, was elected president of the All India Football Federation on Friday.
Choubey got 33 votes in the 34-member electorate comprising representatives of various state associations. His opponent and former East Bengal teammate Bhaichung Bhutia, also 45, had to be content with a solitary vote.
Bhutia, a former India captain and one of Indian football’s biggest stars, had been unable to get even the representative of his home state Sikkim to propose or second his nomination. Rajasthan Football Association (RFA) chief Manvendra Singh, who had backed Bhutia, accused Union Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju of influencing the poll in favour of Choubey, who is a BJP leader from West Bengal.
Bhutia congratulated Choubey on his win and hoped he would be able to take Indian football forward. He also promised to continue to work for the game in India.
Former AIFF president Praful Patel, whose ouster and replacement by a committee of administrators appointed by the Supreme Court had resulted in the federation being suspended for the first time in its 85 year history by the sport’s world governing body FIFA, also congratulated Choubey.
“I am sure he will take Indian football to greater heights and glory,” Patel, a senior leader of the Nationalist Congress Party, told the IANS news agency. “I extend my whole-hearted support to him for the betterment of this beautiful game and wish him all the best.”
