ECB disqualifies party having no royal links

Thimphu, November 28: The Election Commission of Bhutan has said the leaders of the Bhutan People’s United Party (BPUP) have no vision, goals and aspirations for a democratic Bhutan.

The ECB, but, did not explain under what rationale the party leaders have been termed so. In a notice published on Tuesday, ECB said it cannot under the present criteria register BPUP as a political party of the country.

Incidentally, the party lacks any persons having direct link with the royal family like Sangey Ngedup of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and Jigme Thinley of the Druk Phuensum Tshokpa (DPT).

“It lacks credible leadership of the calibre that is needed to run and manage the affairs of the nation. It lacks both maturity and the appropriate mix and strength in terms of its membership,” the press statement by the ECB said.

The ECB claimed more than 80 percent of the members of the party are students having left their education career incomplete.

BPUP is the first party to be announced in the country after the king authorized establishing political parties.

The ECB release further said, “The charter submitted had no clear ideology, vision and mission, indicating the lack of leadership with capability to envision goals and objectives of the group.”

The party had applied for registration on October 15. Former Royal Advisory Councilors Sigay Dorji and D B Sinchuri are leading personalities of the party. They re-announced formation of BPUP in September after withdrawing from DPT.

The party is expected to react the ECB decision after a formal meeting. Bhutan News Service