Elections can be expensive, even more so when it is conducted in difficult terrain. When it takes you only a couple of minutes to reach voters, instead of over a week on foot, it can be quite costly in Bhutan.
When the three National Council nominees from Gasa Dzongkhag pooled more than half their campaign funds for renting a helicopter for a common forum in Lunana, last week; it is an expensive affair.
The helicopter that was hired from Dharma Adventures, a private travel company, cost Nu.200,000 for a journey from Laya to Lunana and then to Gasa.
This is a rare instance of aspiring candidates pooling resources to campaign in a geographically treacherous dzongkhag.
Each candidate received Nu. 130,000 from the Election Commission of Bhutan as campaign fund, this year.
One of the nominees said that more than anything, it was satisfying to have participation in the elections go beyond casting votes and to have been able to overcome geographical barriers.
He also said this experience had given the nominees an opportunity to work together to make the common forum possible in Lunana.
