BPUP to battle it out (REPRODUCTION)

By Sonam Pelvar
March 25, 2007

“We hope to win the elections. If not, we will at least make it to the opposition.”

Hardly a veiled threat and those in the political fray better take note. These words come from none other than the think-tank and Working Committee Chairman of Bhutan People United Party (BPUP), Dasho Sigay Dorji, who has spent months doing the groundwork for BPUP.

With more than 100 members already enrolled, BPUP has the kind of reach at the grassroots that other parties in the offing could only wish for. Name any geog or village level office bearer – former and present gups, chimis, mangmis, tshokpas, councilors and ex-servicemen – and BPUP has them all.

Dasho Sigay Dorji told BT that serious preparations for the upcoming polls were well underway. BPUP has already opened party branch offices in all 205 geogs, identified party workers, and drawn-up the rules and manifesto. It will shortly set up its headquarters in Thimphu.

“We already have a candidate in mind who will be our president,” said Dasho Sigay Dorji. It is said that the Chief Justice, Lyonpo Sonam Tobgye, features high among the list of BPUP’s candidates as party president.

According to Dasho Sigay Dorji, if BPUP wins the country’s first general elections, its president will hold the post of the first democratically elected prime minister. “We will elect a president based on the unanimity of the party members, someone who is thorough with the country’s Constitution and is committed to the betterment of the country and the people,” he said.

The broad objectives of BPUP are to work towards achieving Gross National Happiness, strengthen the Bhutanese economy, and overcome youth-related employment problem.

“There is always a chance of losing in the end but if we fail it will not be for want of determination, drive and hard work,” he said.

But BPUP is sure to confront one dilemma. It may have sufficient ground-level workers but the actual candidates, with acumen and qualification, are hard to come by.

(Bhutan Times Weekly)