If the attendance in common forums this election is anything to go by, then there is either a huge gap between the relevant stakeholders and grassroots level or a lack of knowledge on the common forum among people. While low turn up in common forums was common across the country in this election, it is no different in the Samdrup Jongkhar Thromde. The common forum for the Thromde Tshogde election ended yesterday.
From Kipse, Bangtsho, and Samdrup Gatshel constituencies, only six people attended the common forum while only nine attended from Samdrup Jongkhar Mead, Bar, and Toed constituencies. It is not even two percent of nearly 900 registered voters.
According to the Thrompon candidates, the fewer turnouts of the voters during the common forum could be because the door-to-door campaign familiarised them with their pledges and manifestoes.
“Common forum is nothing different. We speak of our pledges and introduce ourselves,” said Thinley Namgay, one of the candidates.
Likewise, another thrompon candidate, Ugyen Wangchuk, said voters are already aware of their pledges through public debate and door-to-door campaign. “So, I think it’s as good as attending the common forum,” he said.
On the other hand, voters claim they were not informed about the common forums.
“I think many have not come because they are not aware of it. I also knew about this only a while ago,” said Pelzom, a thromde resident.
Most candidates who attended the forum said they came to know about it only on the morning of the day of the forum.
However, as per the dzongkhag election office and the thromde administration, people were informed about the details of the common forum through various social media platforms.
Samdrup Jongkhar Thromde has two Thrompon candidates. Except for bar constituency, there are six Tshogpa candidates.
Meanwhile, the candidates will end their public campaign on the 20th of this month, 48 hours before the polls day.
Kinley Wangchuk, Samdrup Jongkhar
Edited by Chayku
