Lobsang Sangay elected new Tibetan PM-in-exile

April 27th, 2011 - 5:02 pm ICT by ANI  

Dharamshala, Apr 27 (ANI): Harvard law scholar Dr. Lobsang Sangay was on Wednesday elected the new ‘Kalon Tripa’ or the Tibetan Prime Minister-in-exile.

Forty-two-year-old Sangay, who polled 27,051 votes, will replace the incumbent Samdhong Rinpoche.

He secured around 55 percent of the total votes to beat the other two secular candidates.

“Lobsang Sangay secured 27,051 votes, his percentage 55.00 percent. So, the Election Commission of the central Tibetan administration of His Holiness the Dalai Lama has declared Dr. Lobsang Sangay as the third Kalon Tripa (Prime Minister),” said Chief Election Commissioner Jampal Thosang.

Sangay has earlier hinted he could move beyond the Dalai Lama’s ‘middle way’ policy of negotiating for autonomy for Tibet from China. As a student in New Delhi, he was a leader of the Tibetan Youth Congress, which demands complete independence.

Born in a refugee settlement in India in 1968, Sangay won a scholarship to Harvard where he earned a doctorate in law. As a senior research fellow at the university, he has engaged with Chinese scholars and has twice organised meetings between them and the Dalai Lama.

Sangay was in the United States when the results were announced. As the Prime Minister, he will have to move to Dharamshala, the seat of the Tibetan government-in-exile. (ANI)

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