Communists misuse Indian captain in election ploy

Indian star footballer Baichung Bhutia is annoyed over the over the use of his video shots in Communist Party of India (Marxist) election campaign materials for the forthcoming West Bengal state assembly poll. "When they took my shots, they told me that it would be used to showcase development works in villages. No one told me that it would be used for a particular party," the Indian captain and East Bengal FC striker told reporters. Bhutia said his sole concern was to improve the standards of Indian football and not promoting a political party. "I'm concerned about football. I have nothing to do with any political party," the Sikkimese icon said.

The CPI (M)'s campaign film uses Bhutia's image to portray a resurgent West Bengal under the Left Front rule. Interestingly, in a recent interview in the Times of India Bhutia revealed: "My fictional hero is Howard Roark from Ayn Rand’s Fountainhead. Like him, I try to cross new frontiers."