THIMPHU, Sept. 25 (Xinhua) -- Two winning Bhutanese parties have decided to enter the general election scheduled for next month with their existing 47 candidates.
The Druk Phuensum Tshogpa (DPT) and Druk Nyamrup Tshogpa (DNT) parties were pronounced winners of the primary round elections after gaining maximum votes in the primaries.
Two days after the primary round on Sept. 18, the DNT party said it has decided to go with its candidates who represented the party in the primaries for the general vote.
The election rule of Bhutan allows candidates to swap parties following primary round.
Following primary elections, rumors swirled on social media that the DPT were approaching the People's Democratic Party (PDP) to replace its candidates for the general election. However, the party's vice president Dorji Wangdi has refuted all rumors and declared its decision to go with the former candidates.
Replacing of the candidates after primary round started in 2013. When the PDP went through the primaries, the party replaced 12 of its candidates. Former president of DNT Dorji Choden who also joined PDP was later offered a ministerial post.
With the candidates declared, live political debates on constituencies among candidates representing the two parties started on Monday. The debates will conclude two days ahead of the general election on Oct. 18.
