The election result showcased the dynamic nature of the countryโs political landscape, with varying margins between the candidates
Elections witness candidates who prevail by astonishing margins, while there are also cases wherein candidates win by even a single vote. The recently concluded National Assembly (NA) general elections showcased such a fascinating political landscape, with notable disparities and exhilarating races across various constituencies. There were overwhelming victories with wide margins and nail-biting finishes.
The winner with the highest percentage margin was from Sangbaykha constituency under Haa district, where the Prime Minister-elect, President of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Tshering Tobgay secured an astonishing 89.4% of the total votes cast at the constituency. Bhutan Tendrel Partyโs (BTP) candidate, Sonam Penjiore, could muster only 10.6%. This remarkable margin of 79% set a record for the 2024 NA elections. Sangbaykha constituency has a total of 4,159 reregistered voters. A total of 2,615 votersโ turned out during the polling day to vote.
Similar results were seen in the constituencies of Lhamoidzingkha_Tashiding under Dagana dzongkhag and Khatoe_Laya in Gasa district, where there were huge gaps between those who prevailed and the ones who lost. Chandra Bdr. Guring, the PDP candidate from Lhamoidzingkha_Tashiding, managed to secure 76% of the total vote, leaving his BTP counterpart, Prakash Sharma, with 24% of the votes.
Meanwhile, in Khatoe_Laya, PDP candidate Lhaba Lhaba emerged victorious with 76% of the votes, while BTP candidate Ugyen Dem could only secure 24%. The constituency observed a remarkable 52% margin between the candidates.
In the constituency of Phuentsholing in Chhukha district, another margin of 51% was witnessed. Rinzin Dorji, the PDP candidate, secured 75.5% of the total vote, surpassing BTP candidate Maita Raj Rai, who garnered only 24.5% of the votes.
Similar results were repeated in the districtโs Bongo-Chapcha constituency, where the winner prevailed with a margin of 43.21%. PDP candidate Pempa emerged as the Member of Parliament, securing an impressive 71.6% of the total vote. However, BTP candidate Pema Tenzin struggled to rally support, managing only 28.4% of the vote.
In what many observers say was a surprising turn of events, the constituency of South Thimphu witnessed a fiercely contested race, with the winner prevailing with the lowest margin of votes. PDP candidate Tshewang Rinzin narrowly prevailed with 0.6% of the votes. He secured 50.3% of the total votes, defeating BTP candidate Tandin Tshering, who received a close 49.7%, falling short by 35 votes. South Thimphu constituency had a total of 9,757 registered voters, of which 5,889 individuals turned out to vote.
Other constituencies, including Maenbi_Tsaenkhar and Lhuntse, saw closely fought battles with a margin of 4% between the candidates. Tempa Dorji of BTP secured 52% of the total vote, while PDP candidate Yeshey Dorji could secure 48% of the votes.
In another closely contested battle, Dorji Choden, the PDP representative of Thrimshing Kangpar candidate secured 47.7% of the votes, losing by a slim margin of 4.6% to the BTP candidate, Damche Tenzin, who gained 237 more votes.
All other constituencies saw candidates winning by a comfortable margin of 10 to 35 percent.
Nidup Lhamo from Thimphu
