LG: At least 43 gup and 47 mangmi candidates from 15 gewogs in Wangdue have been nominated to contest in the local government elections scheduled for next month.

More than a hundred people contested for the post of gup and mangmi from the 15 gewogs but 28 candidates did not get past the chiwog zomdus, according to the initial report compiled by election officials in Wangdue.

More than 15 chiwogs from 10 gewogs do not have gup and mangmi candidates. Except for the gewogs of Nyisho and Rubesa, which have six chiwogs each, the other 13 gewogs have five chiwogs each.

In Nyisho gewog, Chitokha-Pangkha chiwog does not have candidates for both the posts of mangmi and gup. Nahi gewog’s chiwogs of Halued-Uesawogm and Khoorjoongla-Langmizi, and Lomtshokha and Lawa-Lamga of Athang gewog also do not have candidates for the two posts.

Election officials said the chiwogs of Lengbi and Baedrog of Kazhi, Damchhoe-Gangphel of Phobji and Tashi-Tokha of Bjena do not have gup and mangmi contestants.

The chiwogs of Tapaiteng-Uesa and Gorgoen in Gangtey, Uesargang-Hampoekha in Phangyul, Kamina-Wogyal in Dagar, are also some of the chiwogs without mangmi and gup candidates.

The three chiwogs of Tokaling-Tomla, Uesagang and Doongdoong Nyelsa-Norbuding in Dangchu gewog also do not have candidates for the two posts.

Election officials said the highest voter turnout (516) was recorded in Geylegkha-Kuenzangling chiwog in Nyisho gewog. Wonjukha chiwog in Thedthso gewog and Hebisa in Nahi recorded the lowest voter turnout with 24 voters each.

There were 12 female candidates, two contesting for the post of gup and 10 for mangmi. Two of the female mangmi candidates, Yangka of Changka chiwog in Tshogoam gewog and Chimmi of Heabisa chiwog in Gaseytshogwom did not get past the chiwog zomdu.

Chador Lham and Sonam will be contesting for the post of gup in the gewogs of Nahi and Tshogoam while eight other female candidates will contest for the post of mangmi in the six gewogs of Bjena, Tshogoam, Dagar, Nahi, Nyisho and Rubesa.

Of the 15 gewogs, Dagar gewog recorded the highest number of candidates for the two posts with seven gup and six mangmi contestants, while Dangchu gewog saw only two gup and three mangmi candidates.

Election officials said Nakha chiwog in Sephu does not have a candidate for the mangmi post. Three six chiwogs of Rubesa do not have candidates for gup.

Geylegkha-Kuenzangling chiwog in Nyisho gewog had three gup candidates while the chiwogs of Samtengang and Chitokha-Pangkha do not have gup candidates. The three chiwogs of Chitokha-Pangkha, Chhaebhakha and Goensar-Radzawog in Nyisho had no mangmi candidates.

Uesagongm-Thabji of Nahi gewog has two mangmi candidates but no candidate for gup.

Officials said that while Thangu chiwog in Thedthso gewog had no gup candidate, the chiwogs of Martaloongchu, Rinchengang-Toed and Rinchengang-Moed do not have mangmi candidates.

The chiwogs of Chhungserkha-Dhomkha and Chhunggoen in Phangyul don’t have gup candidate. Goenkhar chiwog has no mangmi candidate.

Dawa Gyelmo | Wangdue