Wangdue went for change. The party pledges were at the heart of the choice that the electorate made.

“Rich or poor, health is something that is important for everyone. So people might have understood its importance and the voted for DNT,” Ugyen Lhendup from Gaselo, said.

In Athang-Thedtsho constituency where PDP secured the highest number of votes during the primary round of the third parliamentary elections, DNT’s candidate Kinley Wangchuk won in the general election. 

In the primary round, PDP secured 205 more votes than DNT. DNT came second in the constituency. A total of 3,114 voters voted for BKP and PDP. The parties that did not get through for the general election.

In the general election, Kinley Wangchuk secured 4,001 votes, 2131 more than what he secured in the primary round. DPT’s Nim Gyeltshen secured 1,813 more votes.

Going by this, about 58.6 percent of the voters who voted for BKP and PDP in the primary round voted for Kinley Wangchuk in the general election on October 18.

The postal ballot played a part in pulling up DNT’s Kinley Wangchuk. The EVM results were close.

Nim Gyeltshen secured 2,440 EVM votes, 141 less than Kinley Wangchuk who secured 1,420 postal votes. About 2,114 voters of Athang-Thedtsho voted by postal ballot.

Nim Gyeltshen said that  in elections it cannot be said who would win before the results are declared. “I did not think that I would win or lose because a voter’s mind would be changed even in a day.”

“DPT’s president, coordinators and supporters worked hard and I was hopeful of winning,” Nim Gyeltshen said. “I was hopeful that DPT would form the government.”

Considering the current situation, if DPT does not form the government now, I feel we would not be able to become economically self-sufficient. “Wherever we went, the people supported us. The result, however, was this and we have to accept it.”

On why people of Wangdue chose DNT over DPT, he said that it could be because the party was new and their manifesto mostly included giving to the people like a day’s wage to the mothers until six months after giving birth. “People like this and they don’t think about the future. I feel this is what all politics is about.”

In Nyisho-Sephu constituency, DNT’s Wangchuk Namgyel, secured 1,355 additional votes in the general election than what he secured in the primary round. DPT’s Chimmi Jamtsho secured 1,853 additional votes.

Going by this, about 42.2 percent of the voters who voted for PDP and BKP in the primary round voted for DNT and 57.7 percent of them votes for DPT.

Despite the majority of the voters who voted for the two parties who did not qualify to the general election voted for DPT in the general election, DNT’s Wangchuk Namgyel who secured the highest vote in the primary round again won from Nyisho–Sephu constituency in the general election.

In the general round, there was a difference of about 1,327 votes between Wangchuk Namgyel and Chimmi Jamtsho.

Wangchuk Namgyel said that because of his, and his supporters’ hard work, he was able to earn the trust and faith of the people. “The result was as I expected.”

On why people of his constituency chose DNT over DPT, he said it was time that people thought about change and DNT was able to give the best choice. His experience and the party’s manifesto could also have contributed to DNT’s win, he said.

About 7,449 of the 10,166 registered voters in Nyisho-Sephu cast their vote during the general election.

The election officials said that while they heard about issues related to campaign among the party supporters and coordinators, the office of the returning office in Wangdue did not receive any formal written complaints.

Wangdue saw a voter turnout of 72.6 percent.

Dechen Tshomo