Nima Wangdi

The National Council (NC) MP-elect of Bumthang, Kencho Tshering from Chokhor gewog secured 2,120 votes more than his opponent Kunzang Dorji from Tang.

Kencho Tshering received a total of 4,381 votes (3,236 EVM votes and 1,145 postal ballots) while Kunzang Dorji had 2,261 (1,613 EVM votes and 648 postal ballots).

Kencho Tshering secured the maximum votes from Dawathang polling station in Chokhor gewog. The gewog has the maximum number of registered voters in the dzongkhag with 2,866 registered voters. A total of 471 people voted for him while only 67 voted for Kunzang Dorji.

He also secured 412 votes from the polling station at Wangdicholing lower secondary school. It is the second-highest vote he received among all the polling stations.




The lowest vote he received was 43 at Tang Central School polling station in the gewog which nominated Kunzang Dorji.

On the other hand, 247 people voted in favour of Kunzang Dorji at Khangrab PS. He also secured 131 votes from Bezur ORC while Kencho Tshering could manage only 96.

With relatives living in Dhur, Kunzang Dorji also led by one vote at Dhur PS. He received 188 votes while Kencho secured 187.

People said Kencho Tshering won the election as he had been in the dzongkhag and his own gewog for a long time.




A voter said Kencho Tshering served as gewog administration officer at Chokhor gewog where he interacted strongly with residents. “He is well-mannered and also communicates well with people.”

Voters also said that he had an upper hand as he comes from a gewog with the maximum voters. “He also visited all the gewogs in the 2018 NC elections.”

Another voter said the candidates who contested from a gewog with maximum voters did not always win. He cited an example of the NC elections in 2018 where the former NC member Nima from Tang won.

He said this shows that the people are careful enough in electing their representatives.




Voters said that Kunzang Dorji recently returned from abroad and did not have enough time to interact with people. “Still he secured a good number of votes.”

An elderly person said, to win elections, the person should have lived with the voters for an adequate period of time and also be able to deal with others well. “Without these, winning elections is difficult.”

In 2018, Kencho Tshering lost by 614 votes. The firmer NC member won with 2,551 votes while only 2,071 voted for him.

Kencho Tshering has a Master in Business Administration International from Edith Cowan University in Western Australia.




Of the four gewogs in Bumthang, Chumig and Ura gewogs, Chamkhar Throm did not nominate any candidates.

Bumthang has 10,836 registered voters of which Chokhor gewog has the highest with 2,866, Chhumig 2,537, Tang 2,027, Ura 1,639, and Chamkhar Throm 1,768.