Winning 53.95 percent of the votes cast in the general elections yesterday in 30 constituencies, Druk Nyamrup Tshogpa (DNT) is set to form the third elected government.

DNT president and prime minister elect, Lotay Tshering said his party while winning all constituencies in western, central and southern dzongkhags, had received votes consistently across the country.

“This indicates that in terms of people’s liking, there is not much difference unlike in the primary elections,” he said at a press conference that was held after the provisional results were announced yesterday.

In the primaries, DNT had won only one constituency, Gangzur-Mingjey in Lhuentse from the six eastern dzongkhags.

Yesterday, DNT won four constituencies from the six eastern dzongkhags.

The party won in constituencies, Lamgong-Wangchang in Paro and Dophuchen-Tading in Samtse, that DPT won in the primary election.

Lotay Tshering had been confident through out the campaign for the general elections and of overturning the results in these constituencies. The party estimated to win at least 25 seats but swept five more yesterday.

He said that his strategy to begin his campaign for the general elections from the eastern dzongkhags was not meant to gain more votes or constituencies.

“All through my campaign, I emphasised on the need to be together or united because I was worried that the country was being divided on political lines,” he said adding that yesterday’s results showed that it was not.

DNT president said the party did not have any strategy to win and attributed its victory to the party’s teamwork.

“Maybe it is our people-centric manifesto. We want to live up to the vision of our developmental philosophy of GNH. Our manifesto’s focus on rural lives and of narrowing the gap might have convinced the people,” Lotay Tshering said.

When it comes to development activities, the prime minister elect assured that there would not be any difference because it’s one country and one people.

“Absolutely, there will be no difference,” Lotay Tshering said.

DNT’s president had made some specific pledges in the eastern dzongkhags, including appointing their candidates as ministers. “In order to shape the nation in a better way, I made few specific offers to Pemagatshel,” he said.

He said there would not be any difference in the developmental activities irrespective of whether the candidate elect from the constituency is an opposition member or a minister.

“Our vision is to narrow the gap, if we differentiate, then we would be doing the opposite,” he said.

The party office in lower Motithang, filled with candidates, party workers, and well-wishers yesterday evening, jumped in excitement every time the results were announced.

DNT president Lotay Tshering was busy on the phone thanking well wishers and consoling his candidates who could not make it through the final round of elections.

Lotay Tshering thanked all stakeholders for the successful elections and said that his party would work together with the members of the opposition.

“There’s no winner or loser in this election as the mission is to serve the interests of the country,” he said.

Those who were not elected, the prime minister elect said, have equally contributed in nation building. “We’re thankful for their participation.”

Tshering Palden