Thromde: The poll day for the thrompon election is three days away, but voters in Gelephu thromde are not sure if they have the right thrompon candidates. There are three candidates, but people say they didn’t get enough time to study their candidates.

Security is the top most priority of voters in Gelephu. They want their thrompon to ensure them safety at their homes.

While developmental activities such as road networking, water supply and connecting streetlights are already planned, residents look forward to leader who can bring development activities that are not in the plan.

Tanka Maya, 32 has not forgotten the class IX student who was kidnapped in 2014, just few minutes’ walk away from her house. The student has not returned yet.

Besides the fear of kidnapping, shoplifting recently has become rampant in Jampeling, she said. In the last few months, her shop was looted three times.

“I don’t know if thromde residents’ safety is a thrompon’s responsibility, but security has become the most important issue here,” she said adding that she has not heard anything of such from the candidates who came campaigning door to door.

Her sister owns a shop in core Gelephu town, Tanka Maya said, she will visit her soon to know more about the three candidates. She wants to ensure that her vote goes to the most deserving candidate.

Another 60-year-old voter, a former civil servant, also said security is the most important area a thrompon candidate should look towards addressing. She and her four siblings own about 10 acres of paddy field at the fishery, adjacent to Indian border, but she can’t walk to her land alone. The border is porous.

“At least a fencing along the border would make us feel safe,” she said. “We need a dynamic thrompon who thinks about Gelephu’s future beyond the five-year term.”

She is yet to discuss with her other siblings to decide who the right candidate is among the three. Tshering Norbu, Harka B Gurung and Tika Ram Kafley are vying for the thrompon’s post in Gelephu.

Few minutes’ drive away at Namkhaling, four eligible voters of the constituency are sitting around a fire. Snowfall in the mountains yesterday has chilled Gelephu as well.

Lachuman, 63 says he still has got three more days to decide who deserves his vote. He is not done discussing with his friends and relatives. He said it is important to discuss with other voters to decide who could be a better thrompon.

“I will discuss with others but not get influenced,” he said adding that although individual candidates came seeking votes and distributed pictures, it’s not enough to decide who to vote.

For Soni Ram, the new thrompon should ensure that the monsoon floods do not affect lower Namkhaling residents.

“We’re electing our second thrompon. Although not familiar with the candidates I will neither go by his appearance nor listen to other voters,” he said. “I’ll be careful in casting my vote.”

Meanwhile Gelephu thromde has six constituencies with 1,121 eligible voters, an increase by 166 from 2011 thrompon election.

Nirmala Pokhrel