Bhaichung Bhutia, the former captain of the Indian football team, is unlikely to taste victory in electoral politics even this time. He is trailing Rikshal Dorjee Bhutia of the ruling Sikkim Krantikari Morcha by over 4,000 votes in the Barfung seat after the third and final round counting.

Overall state figures too aren’t painting a happy picture for Mr Bhutia and his Sikkim Democratic Front party. The incumbent SKM is set for a massive victory over the SDF, winning 31 out of 32 seats as per the election trends.

The Sikkim assembly elections 2024 were held in a single phase on April 19. Though all leads are in, the results are yet to be officially declared.

Mr Bhutia had formed his own Hamro Sikkim Party in 2018, but merged it with the SDF last year. He is currently the vice-president of the SDF, the main opposition party in the Himalayan state known for its picturesque lakes.

The former footballer had fought elections twice from West Bengal as a Trinamool candidate – the 2014 Lok Sabha polls from Darjeeling and the 2016 assembly elections from Siliguri. He lost both.

Then he moved his electoral base to Sikkim and formed his own party. He fought the 2019 assembly elections from Gangtok and Tumen-Lingi, but tasted defeated in both his attempts. He also lost the 2019 bypoll from Gangtok.

Gangtok:

Altogether 147 candidates are in the fray for 32 assembly constituencies in Sikkim as five nominations have been withdrawn, an official said on Saturday.

The assembly elections in the Himalayan state will be held on April 19.

Chief Minister PS Tamang and five-term former CM Pawan Kumar Chamling are contesting the elections.

One independent candidate withdrew his name from the Sangha seat in Gangtok district. Altogether 44 candidates are fighting in nine assembly constituencies in the district.

Soreng district with four assembly segments, including the Soreng-Chakung seat in which Tamang is a candidate, has 16 nominees as no candidate withdrew nominations.

In Pakyong district, two candidates withdrew nominations from Chujachen and Namcheybung assembly seats, and now 24 are in the fray in five assembly seats with Tamang and Chamling being prominent nominees from Rhenock and Namcheybung constituencies.

An independent candidate withdrew nomination from the Yangang assembly seat in Namchi, leaving 29 candidates, including Chamling who is contesting from Poklok Kamrang. There are seven assembly constituencies in the district.

In Gyalshing district, one candidate withdrew nomination from the Yuksam Tashiding assembly segment and now 25 candidates are in the fray in four constituencies.

There was no withdrawal in Mangan district which has nine candidates contesting three assembly constituencies.

Fourteen candidates are in the fray in the lone Lok Sabha seat at the end of the withdrawal candidature, according to the Office of Chief Electoral Officer.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)