While both the constituencies in Zhemgang voted for the two old parties, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and Druk Phuensum Tshogpa (DPT), it was DPT that won the primaries here.

Druk Nyamrup Tshogpa (DNT) came third.

Securing 2,358 votes in Bardo-Trong constituency and 2,559 votes in Panbang constituency, DPT won in both the constituencies with a total of 4,917 votes.

PDP secured 2,254 in upper Kheng and 1,241 from lower Kheng winning 3,495 votes in total.

DNT, which was close behind secured 1,581 votes in upper Kheng and 1,151 in lower Kheng.

BKP got the least number of votes in both the constituencies. It won 791 votes in upper Kheng and 333 in lower Kheng.

On poll day, talks were rife that PDP would lose its strong hold in Bardo-Trong constituency.

As the provisional results started coming in, the PDP and DPT were neck to neck.

DPT secured 2,358 and PDP 2,254 votes in Bardo – Trong while DNT won 1,581 and BKP 796 votes.

In Panbang constituency, DPT won 2,559 votes and PDP 1,241 while DNT secured 1,151 and BKP 333 votes.

In Bardo-Trong, DNT secured 1,086 postal ballot votes and 495 EVM while Bhutan Kuen-Nyam Party (BKP) secured 471 EVM votes and 325 postal votes. The constituency saw 3,747 postal votes, of which 325 were for BKP; 1,086 for DNT 1,198 for DPT and 1,106 for PDP.

In Panbang constituency, DPT secured 1161 postal votes against PDP’s 475. DNT secured 623 and BKP 97. But in EVM votes, DPT secured the highest at 1,398 and PDP, 766 while DNT won 528 and BKP 236.

Tashi Tenzin | Zhemgang