Former NC member sails easy with majority ‘Yes’ votes

However a significant bunch of ‘No’ votes disrupted his path-of-totality

The Zomdu for the National Council elections for 11 gewogs under Pemagatshel dzongkhag concluded yesterday at Shumar where the former NC member Jigme Rinzin was the only candidate from the gewog.

The people of Shumar gewog voted 412 ‘Yes’ and 77 ‘No’ to eventually nominate the former NC member. The former NC MP will compete with the other two aspiring candidates from Nanong and Dechhenling gewogs on 23 April.

The Nangkor Gup’s office was packed with villagers during the Zomdu but unfortunately only 489 people were eligible to vote for the candidate as some people were without voter photo identity card or otherwise with the old voter identity card.

Election Officer, Rinzin Lhendup said that the officials collected their old voter identity card four times in the dzongkhag and still people came with the old cards yesterday.

Many villagers were content with their former candidate who secured the major ‘Yes’ votes. Some of the villagers shared that they are content with his performance during his term while few also said they would like to see him re-elected.

Some voters were disappointed for not being able to vote when many rushed to the Gup’s office without knowing the purpose. Some came for the Zomdu just for the sake of gathering.

“I voted for him as I was happy with his performance,” said a gewog resident, Tshewang Lhamo who had faith and trust in the former NC candidate and hope for his service to the people. Like her, other people in the village also shared that the candidate has garnered experience within the five years and they hope that he will serve the people better.

Meanwhile unsatisfied voters shared that they were not encouraged to vote for him this time as they were not satisfied with his performance within his tenure. The disapproving-lot said that they expected to see new candidates standing from the gewog, for whom they would have voted ‘Yes’.

Jigme Rinzin said that the votes he secured yesterday have given him confidence. He said he is happy to have many supporters from the gewog.

“I believe in myself and I have gained experiences over the last five years to serve people and country better,” Jigme Rinzin said. He added that five years was a good experience and he understood the problems and aspirations of the people in Pemagatshel.

“Looking at the number of votes, I feel that there is support and confidence in me,” he said.

Pemagatshel dzongkhag has more than 23,000 eligible voters and Shumar gewog is one of the largest gewog in the dzongkhag with more than 800 households and more than 1,300 eligible voters.

Meanwhile Denchi Thromde and Dungmaed gewog will conduct their Zomdu tomorrow and legally declare that they have no candidates from their gewog.