AIFF Polls: Kalyan Chaubey ahead of Bhaichung Bhutia as football body set to get its first 'Player President'

In Friday's elections for the post of AIFF president, 45-year-old Bhaichung Bhutia, one of the biggest legends in Indian football, will have a straight fight with former Mohun Bagan and East Bengal goalkeeper Kalyan Chaubey. While Bhutia's candidature has got the election more traction than it would have got if he was not in fray, Chaubey, also 45, is believed to be the front-runner for the top job with backing from politically important state associations like Gujarat and Arunachal Pradesh. To put it on record, Chaubey is a BJP leader from West Bengal and there would be no marks for guessing that he does enjoy a fair amount of political currency, which is a must in these kinds of sports body polls.

There has been a lot of noise as Chaubey is believed to have the "blessings" of one of the most influential political heavyweights from the North East with active interest in Indian sports. And many people connected to Indian football see this as the reason why Bhutia's home state association Sikkim isn't supporting his candidature. Elections to the other two top posts -- general secretary and treasurer -- will also see straight fights between two candidates.

Rajasthan Football Association president Manvendra Singh, a Congress politician (also son of former defence minister Yashwant Singh of BJP), entered the fray against N A Haris for the lone vice-president's post. Haris is the president of Karnataka FA and a sitting Congress MLA from the state. Manvendra's state association had seconded the candidature of Bhutia.