The Druk Nyamrup Tshogpa (DNT) winning both constituencies in Trongsa was not a surprise for the voters and the winning candidates.

This is because the DNT won in Nubi_Tangsibji constituency and People’s Democratic Party (PDP) won in Dragteng_Langthel constituency in the primaries.

People from Trongsa, who followed the general election closely, were more surprised with the close contest between the two parties in both the constituencies.

A voter from Trongsa said she expected DNT to win by a huge margin since there were many factors favouring the party in the locality.

The two DNT candidates, Yeshey Penjor of Nubi_Tangsbji and Gyem Dorji of Dragteng_Langthel, said they were confident to win after the primary results.

Yeshey Penjor said he was confident to win since the election process started.

He attributed his success to his hard work in the last six years and his close contact with the electorate. “People know me and the party,” he said.

He claimed that the dzongkhag election dispute settlement body warning and imposing a fine on him after people attempted to defame him by circulating a mp3 voice message of his WeChat conversation on India-Bhutan relationship had, in fact, made him popular. “I was more hopeful after that incident.”

Observers, however, say it could have contributed to lesser vote difference between DNT and DPT in the constituency. “Given the fact that DNT expected all PDP voters to support the party, there should have been a huge vote difference this time. The vote difference was 140, an increase of only four votes from the difference in the primaries.”

The other reason for Yeshey Penjor’s win is that people in Trongsa say he worked hard in the last five years, helping villagers and attending all community functions.

Of the 11 polling stations (PS) in the constituency, he won in Kela School, Nyala-Drangla ORC and Tangsibji gewog centre. In Tshangkha CS polling station, he secured equal votes of 33 each with DPT’s Nidup Zangpo.

In the primary round also the two candidates secured equal votes of 24 each from Tshangkha CS polling station.

Yeshey Penjor also won by a huge margin from Karshong school and Jongthang polling station under Nubi gewog, by securing 112 and 80 votes respectively where Nidup Zangpo just managed to get 27 and 40.

Yeshey Penjor won a total of 1,677 votes, 695 postal and 982 through EVM.

Nidup Zangpo secured a total of 1,537 votes with 611 postal votes. He was the constituency’s representative in parliament from two consecutive terms.

Voters in Trongsa say that while he matured as a politician and raised issues in the NA when necessary and asked tough questions, he didn’t do much for the constituency.

A villager from Bji said that in the last 10 years, Nidup Zangpo did not fulfil his pledge and didn’t do much in their village.

“He pledged to construct a road to Bji Goenpa but he failed to do so,” a mother of three said.

A businessman from Tangsibji said Nubi-Tangsibji people gave him two terms, once in government and once in opposition but he did not do much for the constituency.

He also said DNT’s hospital pledge could have helped the party and the candidate to secure more votes.

Nidup Zangpo is from Nubi gewog, which has the highest number of voters compared to Tansibji but he lost by huge votes in Karzhong school to Yeshey Penjor who secured 73 votes more than him.

Nidup Zangpo won from four polling stations of Bemji School, Bjizam School, Sherubling CS and Sinphu School with a huge margin. In the primary round election also he won from this polling station.

Nidup Zagpo managed to win at Jongthang polling station securing 56 votes in the primary round but he lost in this polling station by securing 40 votes this time.

Meanwhile, in Draagteng-Langthel constituency, the DNT candidate Gyem Dorji won only by 73 votes against DPT candidate Ugyen Namgyal.

Gyem Dorji, who contested for the National Council and declared his candidature late, said he was much comfortable after the primary results were out and expected to win.

He said he was more surprised with the results this time, as he expected the margin to huge. “I didn’t expect the vote difference to be this less.”

Gyem Dorji only won because of the postal votes. In the EVM, he managed to win in only three polling stations of Samcholing School, Taktse CS and Nabi School of the 11 in the constituency.

He won by a huge margin of votes from his polling station, Samcholing School, by securing 346 votes while DPT’s Ugyen Namgyal secured 132 votes.

A voter, Kelzang Phuntsho, 49, said DNT president’s promise to improve health services to the people in the dzongkhag and gewog could be been the main factor for DNT’s victory in the constituency.

Gyem Dorji had the advantage of being from Samcholing, the highest vote bank in the constituency, which has 1,101 registered voters.

DPT’s Ugyen Namgyal, who is also from Langthel won from eight polling stations of Yuendrocholing, Langthel GC, Jangbi school, Balling, Draagteng GC, Nyimshong school and Korphu school.

He secured a total of 1,324 votes through EVM and 582 in postal ballots. He also secured the highest number of votes from his polling station with 236 votes.

Ugyen Dorji | Trongsa

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