A Tshogpa acts as a bridge between the gewog and chiwog. Representing a chiwog, the Tshogpa takes grievances of the community to the gewog and inform the community about happenings in the gewog and the nation at large. People believe that their community will be left behind in developmental works if they don’t have a Tshogpa to represent them. This fear is haunting the residents of Wungborang in Dungmaed Gewog of Pema Gatshel, again. They don’t have a Tshogpa candidate just like in the second Local Government election.
Almost all the people of Wungborang came for the common forum. It was conducted recently at the village Lhakhang. However, they returned home disheartened since they will not have a Tshogpa to represent them. The disappointment is not new though. They got their previous Tshogpa during the bye-election only.
According to the residents, most of the registered voters are living away from the village. Today there are only a few people left in the village. They said their previous Tshogpa is now contesting for Mangmi and they don’t have a Tshogpa candidate.
“We are in a remote place with a small population. Most of our educated people are employed and live away from here. We have a young boy here but he is 21 years of age and underage. So, he couldn’t contest today,” said Chorten Tshering from Wungborang in Dungmaed Gewog.
“There are one to two capable people here, we hope they might contest later. Unlike in the past, our village is now connected with road, we are hoping they might return. So, hopefully, there will be more candidates in future,” said another resident.
They are pinning their hope on the bye-election the Commission will conduct for the gewogs and chiwogs without a single candidate for now at later dates.
“In the past, when there is no Tshogpa we faced lots of problems. We don’t want to go through the same problem again. All the official works must route through Tshogpa. So, we hope some youth may return to serve as Tshogpa,” said Yoesel Dorji from Wungborang.
“We are also expecting some civil servant may return here to serve as Tshogpa if no one is there to fill the post,” added another.
Officially Wungborang has a population of more than 200 people, but in reality, there are only about 30 people living in the village today. As they return home from the common forum, they can only hope that they get a Tshogpa in the bye-election.
Thinley Dorji, Pema Gatshel
Edited by Sonam
