Sherubling chiwog in the gewog has 10 tshogpa candidates

Nima  | Gelephu

Dhamngoi zomdu in Chudzom, one of the largest gewogs in Sarpang, completed yesterday with more than 1,000 voters voting for candidates from the respective chiwogs.

Chudzom has three candidates from Dragchhu, Lhayul, and Sherubling chiwogs vying for the post of gup after they were elected from dhamngoi zomdu held for the past three days.

The voters were seen travelling from Gelephu to take part in the nomination zomdu that began since November 5.

There were five candidates contesting for the gup at dhamngoi zomdu, an increase by one candidate compared to the last local government election.

However, with two chiwogs, Gaalegthang and Jangchubling without any aspiring candidates this time, three candidates would be contesting for the post of Gup on the poll day on December 22.

There were four candidates from four chiwogs vying for the gup post in the local government election in 2016.

Sources said the incumbent gup from Draagchhu chiwog is campaigning on the need to have continuity in gewog with many important development activities underway in Chudzom.

It was learnt that other aspiring candidates were wooing the voters from respective chiwog to support them for equitable development, highlighting that the chiwogs were left behind over the years.

Dhamngoi zomdu held in five different chiwogs in Chhudzom saw about 100 voters taking part except for Gaalegthang chiwog that did not have aspiring candidates for gup.

Voters from Chudzom said that Sherubling has the highest voters in the gewog, followed by Jangchubling and Lhayul chiwog.

Jangchubling and Gaalegthang chiwogs are expected to decide the fate of the gup this election.

The incumbent gup Bishnu Prasad Rai’s Draagchhu chiwog has the least registered voters but the gup is confident that voters from Jangchubling and Gaalegthang chiwog would support him as there is no aspiring candidate from the chiwogs.

He said that the voters from Gaalegthang and Jangchubling supported him well in the last election.

“They remain unchanged this time. It’s important to support the experienced one for better results. I am confident that they have never doubted my potential and results,” said Bishnu Prasad Rai.

While the dzongkhag election office is yet to finalise the total voters from the gewog, aspiring candidates say that there are more than 800 voters from Sherubling, more than 700 from Lhayul and Jangchubling chiwog, and more than 400 from Draagchhu and Gaalegthang.

Another candidate, Mon Bdr Ghallay from Lhayul has the experience of working as an LG member for more than 10 years.

The 50-year-old aspiring candidate said that the people wanted him to represent them this time. “People are expecting for better farm roads, up-gradation of schools and health centres in the gewog. I worked in the gewog for 14 years. People forced me to contest this time.”

The candidate from Sherubling chiwog, Suk Man Tamang, said that the chiwog did not receive basic facilities such as road, bridge, and water supply.

He said he was planning to do a business until friends and voters from chiwog forced him to stand for the election.

“The chiwog remains disconnected from other parts of gewog in monsoon. There is a need for equitable development in the gewog. Remote villages were neglected and the water supply line was not properly maintained. I am prioritising all these for the people,” he said.

Suk Man Tamang worked in Bhutan Telecom.

Meanwhile, the gewog had six candidates contesting for the post of mangmi in the dhamngoi zomdu.

One of the chiwogs in the gewog, Sherubling, has 10 aspiring candidates for the post of tshogpa.  

Edited by Tashi Dema