The Bhutanese Leading the way.
A former monk, a graduate of the Institute of Language and Culture Studies or the incumbent could become the next gup of Trong gewog.
Trong, in the central district of Zhemgang, whittled down its choices for gup to these three nominations in the recently concluded village cluster (chiwog) level meetings to choose from candidates aspiring to become gup.
Former Gup Dorji Wangchuk who served as gup for 13 years secured 160 votes to secure the nomination from Zurphel-Tshanglajong Chiwog. “Losing and winning is part of the process and every aspiring candidate cannot get elected to local government,” said Dorji Wangchuk adding that as Trong is near the district headquarters every basic civic amenity has reached the gewog.
The former gup said that even if he is not re-elected this time, he has no regrets having served in the position for many years. But if re-elected he would focus on, among other things, making farm roads pliable throughout the year.
Wangyal, 38, was the lone gup candidate from Gongphu Chiwog. During the chiwog meetings he secured 148 ‘Yes’ votes and ‘3’ No votes.
“I came forward as a candidate to offer a wider choice to the people and the choice is in the hands of voters,” said Wangyal, who has a Bachelors Degree in Bhutanese and Himalayan Studies from Institute of Language and Culture studies in Taktse. If elected as Gup, Wangyal says he will stress on solving the human-wildlife conflict, marketing local cash crops and better drinking water supply, sanitation and school infrastructure.
Tshewang Rinzin, 45, the lone candidate from Dangkhar-Trong Chiwog, got 72 ‘Yes’ votes and 10 ‘No’ votes in the village cluster meeting to secure the nomination.
A monk for 16 years and a former gup candidate in 2011 election. Tshewang Rinzin said he was recontesting to offer choice to the people for the sake of democracy. “I cannot say it right now but chances are high this time and maybe it is my turn to take up such a important role and to serve the people,” said the former monk.
If elected, Tshewang Rinzin said that he will look into rural-urban migration, preservation and promotion of chortens, lhakhangs and dratshangs and issues related to land demarcation and census. “The 11th Five Year Plan has two more years to go so I will work closely with the people on the need for developmental activities that will continue in the 12th-Five Year plan,” he said.
For the post of the mangmi, Sangay was the only candidate from Tama-Berti Chiwog and he secured 92 ‘Yes’ votes and ‘1’ no vote. For the post of Tshogpa, Trong gewog has 14 candidates from five chiwogs.
Trong Gewog has a total of 18 candidates contesting for Gup, Mangmi and Tshogpa posts of which seven are female candidates.
This story was made possible with the support from Bhutan Media Foundation and SDC.
