Druk Nyamrup Tshogpa (DNT) won in both the constituencies of Sergithang-Tsirangtoed and Kilkhorthang-Mendrelgang in Tsirang, according to the provisional results the commission announced yesterday.

DNT secured a total of 5,779 votes of which 2,266 were secured through postal ballots.

People’s Democratic Party (PDP) won 1,018 votes less than DNT. The party secured 4,761 votes, of which 1,292 was secured through postal ballots in the two constituencies.

At 3,073, DNT secured votes the maximum votes in Kilkhorthang-Mendrelgang constituency of which 1,879 were cast through the electronic voting machine (EVM). While in Sergithang-Tsirangtoed constituency, the peach blossom secured 2,706 votes. 1,634 of these votes were cast through the EVM.

While PDP secured 2,409 votes including 641 postal votes in Sergithang-Tsirangtoed constituency, it managed to secure 2,435 votes including 651 postal votes in Kilkhorthang-Mendrelgang constituency.

It was a smooth election overall in Tsirang without any problems with the EVMs. Despite heavy rain in the morning, more voters turned up at the polling stations in the early hour. Towards the afternoon the weather improved coaxing the remaining voters to vote.

In terms of percentage, at least 61 percent of the 23,696 registered voters turned up to vote in the 44 polling stations set up in the two constituencies.

Druk Phuensum Tshogpa managed to secure a total of 2,835 votes in the two constituencies with 1,419 votes in Kilkhorthang-Mendrelgang constituency and 1,416 votes in Sergithang-Tsirangtoed constituency.

Bhutan Kuen-Nyam Party secured the least votes at 1,373. In Sergithang-Tsirangtoed constituency the party won 613 votes and 760 votes in Kilkhorthang-Mendrelgang.

Towards the evening as the results of postal ballots were being compiled and shared, it was almost sure that DNT and PDP had swept both the constituencies. While most voters Kuensel talked to during the poll day said that it was necessary to change the government, voters maintained that a strong opposition was must to have a vibrant democracy.

One of the voters in Tsholingkhar gewog, Prem Kumar, 39, said that for a smooth functioning of democracy giving equal chance to new parties was important. “We never know what new parties have to offer to us, keeping that in mind I’ve done my part,” he said.

Another voter in Doonglagang gewog, Nim Dem who had come with two toddlers to cast her vote said that although one vote would not make much of a difference, she felt it important to vote. “I voted for the party that promises to bring rural development,” she said.

Nirmala Pokhrel | Tsirang