To govern & to serve (REPRODUCTION)

By Kinley Tshering 
March 25, 2007

Thimphu: This is the party everybody has been talking about. This is the party which, in popular view, jumped the gun and even fueled concerns that it was stifling opposition by becoming all too powerful.

This is People’s Democratic Party, PDP for short.

Why the urgency, the rush to form the party? The party coordinator, Tshering Tobgay, who became the first civil servant to resign for politics, totally disagrees: “We started rather too late. We should have started two years back. We need to do so much as a good party to serve Bhutan, especially from ground zero.”

Inspired by the incumbent agriculture minister, Lyonpo Sangay Ngedup, the party believes that democratic principles should be first implemented within the party. 

“The party’s purpose is to further the cause of democracy and be a part of our monarchs’ vision for successful democracy in Bhutan,” says Tshering Tobgay. “The party is being formed to create a better Bhutan and improve the lives of all Bhutanese. Democracy is about going from house to house.”

Since its formation more than a year ago, the party has been working on roping in potential candidates and framing strategies and rules. Four potential woman candidates have also been identified.

“In fact we did not have any party members until March 19 when we released member application forms to all parts of the country. Now the drive to register members is going on,” said Tshering Tobgay.

Criteria to induct members have also been laid down. “A member should have a sense of service and belief in democracy, personal drive and energy, belief in the party principles and be winnable,” said Tshering Tobgay.

Asked who would possibly become the president of the party, Tshering Tobgay said that unlike in other situations where a founder of the party becomes the president, PDP’s would depend on the choice of the members. “We will elect our president after the registration of the members.”

The track record of the performance of the senior leaders vying for the post of president would also be taken into account, he added. 

While the party has hopes of establishing the first democratic government in Bhutan, it feels having a strong opposition is equally important.

“We are not in the business of competing with other parties,” said Tshering Tobgay. “We are in the business of getting the trust and confidence of people. The interest of our party is to deliver to our people. If we need a strong opposition, then we will.”

(Bhutan Times Weekly)