The Bhutanese Leading the way.
A perfectly cool and cloudy day greeted candidates and people who attended the Gosarling common forum yesterday.
At the strike of 10 am on clock, people from Gosarling gewog entered the Renewable Natural Resource (RNR) hall in the gewog centre while some showed up a bit late.
After being briefed on election procedure by the Returning Officer, the candidates were then given 30 minutes to talk about their party ideologies, manifestos, and pledges.
The Druk Chirwang Tshogpa (DCT) candidate designate, Sangay Tamang, started first and spoke about his party logo, significance of the logo and the party president.
Likewise, the Druk Nyamrup Tshogpa (DNT) candidate designate, Chhatraman Chhetri talked on his party’s manifesto, pledges and ideology to serve the people in a better way.
The Druk Phuensum Tshogpa (DPT) candidate designate, Udya Chandra Bhandari spoke about his party, the party president, and on DPT’s experience over the past five years.
The last one to speak was the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) candidate designate, Novin Darlami who explained roles of NC and NA besides talking about the party’s ideology, ‘Wangtse Chhirpel’ meaning decentralization of power.
Although the four candidates seemed satisfied and relieved at trying their best to connect with the voters within 30 minutes, the audience, however, seemed didn’t seem enamored by the speakers, and needed to read the party banners for better understanding.
A village elder Nar Bahadur Tamang, 50, said, “I could understand only little and I hope they will explain me more in local language during the door-to-door campaign.”
However, he said he is aware of the party logo and candidates representing the party so that he can cast his vote for his choice of candidate. “When it comes to manifestos, ideologies and pledges, I need to know more,” he added.
Another voter Santa Lal, 48, said, “I didn’t understand at all what the candidates spoke about, and I am confused between the NA and NC.”
Phool Maya, 56, shared that she found all the candidates competent enough and she needs to think and decide once she gets home. “As of now, I cannot decide immediately,” she said.
Nonetheless, the candidates will be pleased to know that there were also those in the audience who were active and understood everything.
Norzom, 55, originally from Lhuentse and 60-year-old Tshewang Bidha from Trongsa who have both resettled at Gosarling said they are aware of the parties, their ideologies, manifestos, pledges, and they understood what the four candidates said during the forum.
Tshewang Bidha said all four candidates are capable and competent, but in the end one can only cast a single vote. “I will give it a thought and cast my vote for the one who can serve the people in a better way, as well as to take the issues to the national level.”
The public turnout for the common forum was around 100, which is less than the turnout during the NC forum.
Common forum for Sergithang-Tsirangtoe constituency started with Sergithang gewog on May 13. The gewogs of Sergithang, Phuntenchu, Tsirangtoe, Semjong, Dunglagang, and Gosarling fall under Sergithang-Tsirangtoe constituency.
Sergithang-Tsirangtoe constituency has 10,087 eligible voters.
