Parties spoiled for choice (REPRODUCTION)
Thimphu, November 14: In the past, the two political parties struggled to find candidates for the 47 constituencies. This trend appears to be reversing, with aspiring candidates in some constituencies now fighting among themselves and with the party authorities in selection mode.
In the earliest split, members of the Bhutan People’s United Party (BPUP) left Druk Phuensum Tshogpa after disagreements on the choice of candidates. They blamed an unfair candidate selection process of the Phuensum Tshogpa after some candidates were not given support to run for the National Assembly.
In the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), a candidate for Gelephu, Achyut Bandhari, lost an internal contest against Garab Dorji. Not long after, the candidate for Sarpang, Yeshi Dorji, also pulled out of the party. He said that he disagreed with the party’s decision to organize a similar candidate selection in his constituency.
Last week, it was a DPT drama in Sephu-Nyisho constituency in Wangduephodrang, when a group of DPT members declared their defection to PDP. According to a member of the group the reason was that the party did not support Kuenga, a candidate nominated by the people of the constituency, and preferred Gyem Dorji.
Gyem Dorji, 37, said that the party had not confirmed the candidature because party leaders had actually wanted to see who had more supporters in the constituency. “I was given the ticket after the incident last week, where the aspiring candidate and some members tried to boycott the party president’s familiarization meeting, thinking that I was given the party ticket,” he said.
An observer said that this was all part and parcel of party politics, where parties have the authority to give tickets to the highest ‘vote-winning’ candidate. “There will be a clash between party authorities and aspiring candidates and their supporters for a party ticket to run for the National Assembly,” he said.
Political parties are forced to make difficult choices in terms of finalising the candidates in constituencies where there are two or more aspirants.
According to DPT secretary general, Thinley Gyamtsho, the public supporting and nominating different candidates in the constituencies was making it difficult for the party to make a selection. “It is difficult because strong support of the people is important, but the party wants to ensure that aspiring candidates have the capability and right attitude to serve the nation,” he said. “We want good capable candidates without upsetting the people.”
DPT has yet to select and offer party tickets to the aspiring candidates of Kenkhar-Werringla and Martsala-Jumotsangkha constituencies of Samdrup Jongkhar.
PDP spokesperson, Tashi Tsering, said that his party had to take difficult decisions in selecting candidates, particularly where there had been more than two equally capable candidates. “A political party has to have a transparent, fair and democratic process in selecting candidates, one that takes into account the views of the people,” he said.
In Gelephu constituency, people were made to vote to select a PDP candidate from the two aspiring candidates, Garab Dorji and Achyut Bhandari. On September 9, Garab Dorji won the party ticket after he secured more votes.
Also in Drakten-Langthel constituency of Trongsa, people were asked to vote and select from two aspiring candidates, Pem Tshering and Namgay Dorji. But PDP is yet to declare the candidate to whom the party has offered its ticket.
Similarly, PDP has yet to declare their candidates in Jomotshangkha-Martshala in Samdrupjongkhar where Mingbo Dukpa and former councillor Dasho Tashi Dorji were identified as possible candidates.
Meanwhile, observers of Bhutanese politics are starting to realise that this is just the beginning.
Source: Kuensel