DPT loses one more seat in Parliament
The writings were clear on the wall that the Durk Phuensim Tshogpa’s Kessang Wangmo will have no chance to beat People’s Democratic Party’s Tshering in the Friday bye-election in North Thimphu.
The manifestos looked almost similar and there was no way the opposition’s candidates could woo the voters to beat PDP for a third time.
The results confirmed it although the turn out was very poor. PDP’s Tshering, 33, won 2,032 votes, which is 75.5 percent of the total ballots cast in the constituency. A total of 2,692 voters cast their ballots out of a registered 6,312.
Kessang Wangmo, 26, won only 660 votes, including two postal ballot votes. Tshering received 14 postal ballot votes. The bashing could be attributed to two things. Kessang Wangmo is a new face who showed up after the party’s first choice turned down soon after he was nominated and announced. The controversy surrounding the first choice’s resignation, soon after the declaration, and aftermath of Kinga Tshering’s resignation didn’t help.
Her party had won in the constituency twice, in 2008 and 2013, but both candidates couldn’t live to the expectations of the people. While former minister Ugyen Tshering resigned on health grounds, Kinga Tshering, according to some voters betrayed his people when he chose studies over serving the people who elected him. Some registered voters voiced that soon after the MP announced his decision and it became an issue.
Meanwhile, the MP-elect attributed his victory to party workers and Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay, who in his capacity as the party president actively campaigned for the candidate.
Speaking to Bhutan Today, MP elect Tshering said winning by a massive victory was because of the Prime Minister visiting people from door to door for their support and also because the people believed in the party.
Tshering also added that his priority is to serve the people with full dedication and live up to the people expectation.
DPT President (Dr) Pema Gyamtsho congratulated PDP for the win on his Facebook page. He wrote the people of North Thimphu have made their choice and we respect that. He also added Kessang Wangmo gave her best and deserves the highest appreciation for her courage to come forward in the face of daunting challenges. Her commitment to the advancement of democracy at such a young age is exceptional and we salute her,” he added.
Druk Nyamrup Tshogpa also congratulated PDP for the landslide victory on their Facebook page. The party also expressed their appreciation towards DPT candidate, for giving people a choice and contributing to democratic process but was concerned on the low voter turnout.
With the bye-election results, PDP has 33 MPs in the 47-member National Assembly whereas DPT has14 seats.
Tshering from Taba in Kawang gewog, who had also contested in the National Council elections in 2013 worked with the Bhutan Broadcasting Service for three years before resigning to contest in the 2013 elections. The candidate has a BSc in Visual Arts and Communications from the Patrician College of Arts and Science in Chennai.
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