Unlike in some eastern and southern dzongkhags, party candidates in Wangdue are pleased with the voter turnout during the common forum sessions.

However, they raised issues with the limited time and the prohibition of question-answer sessions. 

Although only 2,127 of the 20,084 registered voters in Wangdue turned up to attend the common forums until yesterday, candidates said that the turnout was good. 

Voters in the dzongkhag are divided equally between the two constituencies – Nyisho-Sephu and Athang-Thetsho. 

People’s Democratic Party’s Nyisho-Sephu candidate Kuenga said that compared to the zomdus held twice a year with the people, the turnout during the forum was good.

The candidates of Nyisho-Sephu completed the common forum sessions on September 1. About 1,235 people turned up to attend the common forums in the constituency.

Bhutan Kuen-Nyam Party’s Nyisho-Sephu candidate Yeshey Jamtsho said that except for Phangyul gewog, other gewogs had good voter turnout. Phangyul had the least turnout with only 78 people attending the session. 

While Phobji and Sephu gewogs had the maximum turnout with over 500 people attending the sessions. Nyisho-Sephu constituency has 10,166 registered voters. 

Druk Phuensum Tshogpa’s candidate in the constituency Chimmi Jamtsho said that despite the good attendance, the time provided to candidates during the session was limited. He also said that the forum wasn’t interactive.

“People come with expectations when attending the session and they don’t even get a chance to ask questions,” Druk Nyamrup Tshogpa’s Nyisho-Sephu candidate Wangchuk Namgyel said. “The candidates also got only 10 minutes to talk with the people.” 

About 892 people attended the common forums in Athang-Thedtsho constituency in Wangdue. The common forum in the constituency will end today at Bjena gewog. 

The constituency has 9,918 registered voters. 

Election officials said that the common forums were also extended for people staying afar from the gewog centre. Wangdue has 4,865 registered postal voters. 

Phurpa Lhamo | Wangdue