Kalyan Chaubey Is New AIFF President

New Delhi: Former India goalkeeper Kalyan Chaubey has been as the new All India Football Federation (AIFF) President after defeating his opponent and former Blue Tigers captain Baichung Bhutia by 33-1 on Friday.

With the election of the Chaubey, this is the first-time in federation's 85-year history that a former player will be at the helm of affairs.

Notably, Chaubey, who is also a Bharatiya Janata Party leader, was seen as a strong contender the president post and this one of the reasons that most people think why Bhutia's home state association Sikkim not supported his candidature.

There is also a direct contest between the two candidates for the other two top positions, general secretary and treasurer.

Choubey, a BJP leader who lost the last parliamentary election from Krishnanagar seat in West Bengal, never played for India's senior team, although he was in the team on a few occasions. He represented India in several international tournaments at the junior level and was the goalkeeper for both Mohun Bagan and East Bengal.

Interestingly, both Bhutia and Choubey have played together for East Bengal.

N A Haris, president of Karnataka Football Association, won the election of the lone vice-president by defeating Manvendra Singh of Rajasthan Football Association. Haris is also a sitting MLA of the Congress Legislature. Kipa Ajay of Arunachal Pradesh defeated Gopalkrishna Kosaraju of Andhra Pradesh for the post of Treasurer.

The 'Sikkimese Sniper' Baichung Bhutia, was supported by Kosaraju and Manvendra.

All the 14 candidates who filed nominations for the posts of Executive Committee members were elected unopposed.

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