Chhimi Dema 

Out of the 58 local government (LG) leaders elected to various posts in its eight gewogs, Trashiyangtse elected four women. Two women are for the position of mangmi and another two are now tshogpa.

The dzongkhag had 11 female contestants and 114 men, out of which 54 men got elected in various positions.

Phurpa Wangmo,37, is the first woman candidate participating in the local government elections from Boomdeling gewog.

“There weren’t female candidates to inspire the other women in the gewog so to represent the women of the gewog, I came forward,” she said.

Phurpa Wangmo said that she will work to develop the gewog and aims to inspire other women to participate in the local government elections.

“I am proud that the people in the gewog saw men and women on an equal footing, without stereotyping a woman’s duty that she belongs in the house,” she said.

Karma Dema from Sertsho chiwog under Toedtsho gewog got elected as mangmi. Karma Dema won with 686 votes, six votes more than Rinzin Dorji, the other contestant who got 680 votes.

Kanjur Wangmo got elected as Changmadoong-Soggangna’s tshogpa under Tongmajangsa gewog, securing 170 ‘Yes’ votes and 19 ‘No’ votes.

Karma Dechen also got elected as Lichen chiwogs’ tshogpa under Yangtse gewog. She got 287 ‘Yes’ votes and 17 ‘No’ votes.

Mani Dorji, 48, from Bomdhir-Wongmang chiwog got elected as Boomdeling’s gup with a total vote of 635.

He said that he hopes to provide the best for the people in the gewog. “I have lived here all my life and I know what challenges the people face.”

In Jamkhar gewog, Cheku, 45, was favoured as gup with 928 votes. Cheku,47, got elected as mangmi in the gewog with a difference of 232 votes over Dechen Lhendup.

Tashi Wangchuk is the Khamdang gup, securing 1,069 votes. Four contestants were vying for the post.

Phurpa Gyaltshen got elected as the gup in Ramjar gewog with 818 votes. The lone candidate for mangmi, Tshering Phuntsho got elected with 1,021 ‘Yes’ votes and 144 ‘No’ votes in the gewog.

Dhomtshang-Doongmaen chiwog in Ramjar gewog had three tshogpa candidates. Sonam got re-elected as the tshogpa.

Sonam said that he made his best effort during his previous tenure and will continue to do the best he can this time as well.

“Tshogpas are the bridge connecting people to the gewog and dzongkhag, and I will serve with utmost dedication,” he said.

Of the three contestants in Toedtso for the gup position, Dechen Wangdi secured the position with 852 votes.

Ugyen Dorji, 28, who has a bachelor’s degree, got elected as Tongmajangsa gup with 1,279 votes.

Jamba Sonam,27, got elected as the Trashiyangtse Thromde Ngotsab, winning 126 votes.

Sonam from Dhoogti-Gashing chiwog in Yalang gewog got appointed as the gewog gup, winning 538 votes. There were six gup contestants from the gewog, and among them was Nima Selden as the only woman contestant.

Lichen, the lone gup contestant from Yangtse gewog, won with 1,209 ‘Yes’ votes. There were 69 ‘No’ votes.

A total of 38,664 people voted using paper ballot facilitation booths, postal ballots, mobile voting booths, and electronic voting machines from Trashiyangtse during the third local government election on December 22.