Two constituencies made the difference
Polling officers wait for voters in Bangtsho demkhong in Dewathang Thromde election 22 January, 2011 - It came as a big blow to him. He was already lagging behind and the loss from his own constituency just made it worse.
The frowns on the forehead deepened. Karma was surprised as polling results poured into the counting centre. In the first polling result, he lost by a vote, and then the most shocking result came in from Samdrupgatshel, his own constituency. He had lost by seven votes. The third one came and there too he had lost.Then, I got a little worried because the gap was increasing, he recalled later as he shared his moments with a friend over telephone. Then the results from other two demkhongs in Dewathang came in and that was enough. He beat rival candidate Dechen Wangmo with 50 votes in Kibse and 28 votes in Bangtsho demkhongs.Karma explains why he lost from the constituency he stood from. Im not originally from that place and people dont know me well. Im from Bangtsho but because of delimitation, my land is in Samdrupgatshel, he explained.As soon as the polling results were complete, reporters and photographers covered him. He was then busy on his mobile thanking his well-wishers. His phone rang with countless calls and messages from all over the country, including a call from the prime minister that kept him glued to the phone amidst interviews.His mathra gho had gone out of place and his eyes red and heavy with the tiredness of man who had not slept for days. Karma admits that it had been a stressful month.He attributes his success to his roots. Karma Sherab originally from Bangtsho also has relatives in Kibse demkhongs. The two demkhongs together have 347 eligible voters more than all three demkhongs of Samdrup Jongkhar put together. Of the 104 votes from Kibse and Bangtsho, 91 voted for Karma Sherab Thobgyal.A voter from Bangtsho, Sherab Gy! eltshen, 42, said that he voted for Karma Sherab Thobgyal. Im happy that my village is in the thromde and voted for him because he is capable, he said.For the lone woman thrompon candidate, Dechen Wangmo, who lost to Karma, the election was full of lessons. Most women including my friends didnt turn up to vote, she said. I learnt women dont vote for women especially in the same age group.She said the public debate had made a huge difference. I had won in the towns where the voters had access to television and also learnt of my capabilities, Dechen said, who is originally from Lhuentse. Some agree that they were influenced by her speaking ability. But it did not reach the rural voters, she said.She said that the electorate showed no interest in voting in the elections at all. She would resume her duties as the principal of her private school.The total voter turn out was over 33 percent.
Dechen Wangmo also campaigned in Dzongkha another shortfall especially with the villagers not very fluent in Dzongkha. She only visited around 20 households with only some neighbours attending.Even the voterss response towards her campaign was mild. Some of the villagers told her they were busy with other works and that she relay her messages to their neighbours and they would hear from them later.Karma Sherab during campaigns and casual meetings spoke in tshangla lo, a major advantage in an area that speaks the same language. A former police officer and now a businessman, Karma has an honours degree in English from the Hindu college in New Delhi, India. He served in the royal Bhutan Police for nine years. He also has a baby boy, about two weeks old, from his second marriage.Tashi Tobgyel, the tshogpa candidate from Kibse, said people made it clear that they would vote for him but if he does not deliver, then they would be the ones to bring him down.Karma S Thobgyal said he would immediately set himself! and his team on solving the water problem in the thromde that is spread across Samdrup Jongkhar and Dewathang towns. Its my first priority, he said.He said that Samdrup Jongkhar five years hence would have a sports complex, better roads, mobile coverage, improved trade and commerce, adequate recreational facilities and sewerage systems.Samdrup Jongkhar would be a city second to none in Bhutan, he said.By Tshering Palden
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