Exiled Tibetans elect leader as Dalai Lama steps back

DHARAMSALA, India: Tens of thousands of exiled Tibetans voted Sunday for a new leader tasked with sustaining their struggle for greater autonomy in the Chinese-ruled province as the Dalai Lama retreats from the political frontline.

While Tibetans from across the world were geared up to vote, those in the picturesque Indian hill town of Dharamsala where the Dalai Lama lives started lining up at booths at 9 a.m. (0330 GMT) to elect the next leader of the government-in-exile.