Bhaichung Bhutia Demands Fresh Polls To Save Indian Football, Says Shaji Prabhakaran Made ''Scapegoat''

Indian football icon Bhaichung Bhutia, who lost a lopsided election last year for the post of AIFF president, on Wednesday launched a scathing attack on the governing body's incumbent president Kalyan Chaubey while demanding for 'fresh' polls. The former Indian captain's salvo at the AIFF executive committee comes in the wake of the sacking of its secretary general Shaji Prabhakaran, who has been removed on grounds of 'breach of trust'.

Bhutia claimed that Prabhakaran has been made a 'scapegoat' by the Chaubey-led body, adding that having an election is the only way to save Indian football.

"The breach of trust should not be on Shaji alone but all the members heading the AIFF, including the president, vice-president and treasurer," Bhutia told PTI from Gangtok.

"Where has this breach happened, what is this breach everybody wants to know?" Bhutia asked, adding that all the major decisions were taken jointly by the members.

He cited the examples of AIFF's decision to drop out of race to host the AFC Asian Cup 2027 and also the recent chaotic build-up to the Asian Games in China, where the Indian team reached merely a day before its first match.

"Everytime, the president and secretary together, have taken the key decisions including Asian Games and the withdrawal of bidding to host the Asia Cup," he said.

"But they are making Shaji a scapegoat here. (The) entire team, president, secretary general, vice-president and treasurer are responsible for this mess. Everyone should go and elections should be held under the new constitution." "I'm not surprised by the sacking of Shaji. From the time the new management has taken over, there has been huge mismanagement," Bhutia claimed.

Former India goalkeeper Chaubey, who joined the