DPT likely to shrink further

Vanquished Druk Phunsuem Tshogpa (DPT), Bhutan’s opposition party, is likely to further shrink when the country holds a by-election in November.

Thirty-one -year-old Dechen Zangmo from Bangtsho village under Zobel gewog is set to contest the forthcoming National Assembly by-election for Nanong-Shumar in Pemagatshel district. She will be contesting against Pema Wangchuk of People’s Democratic Party (PDP).

Unless it is luck, DPT is likely to loose the seat in favour of the ruling PDP. This will shrink the size of the party in parliament to 14 from current 15 members.

The seat remains vacant after former Prime Minister Jigmi Thinley resigned shortly after the election where his party was badly defeated.

Zangmo graduated with a degree in Arts from North Bengal University in 2007 and owns a family business.

If elected, she said she will not only be working to address the issues of her constituency but will also work hard to further the cause of women both at the parliament and party level.

The constituency’s three gewogs of Nanong, Zobel and Shumar have more than 8000 eligible voters.