…only 23 percent of the former gups were elected

Choki Wangmo | Tsirang

Only three of the 13 former gups running were re-elected in the third local government (LG) elections in Dagana.

Voters said that a change in leadership was required as the incumbency leads to corruption and misuse of power.

A voter from Drujeygang said that when an individual holds the position in the LG for consecutive terms, there is a gap in development activities among chiwogs.

Lhakpa Tshering Sherpa, who was disappointed by the LG election results in Gozhi, Karmaling, and his gewog in Tsendagang, said that he and his family voted for change but the result turned out to be different.

Former Karmaling Gup Gyan Bdr Subba, who wasn’t selected in the dhamngoi zomdu, said that this election public wanted to give opportunities to new candidates.

Khebisa Gup-elect Bali Raj Gurung said that voters did not elect leaders who, when they were given the opportunity, couldn’t materialise the development plans and activities in the gewogs. “Their lack of efficiency while in power played a major role in getting re-elected. People voted for change.”

Another voter said that the dzongkhag was developing and people voted for those candidates who could bring faster growth. Those leaders who were slow about delivering services lost to those who promised better pledges.

A voter from Gozhi gewog said that since there were more candidates with higher qualifications and new ideas compared to former gups with monastic educations, people could have voted for new candidates for want of change. “Moreover, most of the former gups served for a decade and people wanted a change in leadership.”

Largyab Gup Dhan Bahadur Gurung, who is among the three re-elected gups, however, said that voters gave him the opportunity to lead again as he had worked hard and maintained transparency in the past two terms as a gup.

“People wanted continuity. As I was experienced and there were unfinished development activities in the gewog, they trusted me,” he said.

Lhamoidzingkha Gup Surja Bdr Limbu and Tsendagang Gup Bal Bdr Rana were also re-elected.

There were 44 aspiring gup candidates from the 14 gewogs and 70 chiwogs in the dzongkhag.