The Bhutanese Leading the way.
Party already has 300 members and 12 candidates
Druk Chirwang Tshogpa or Druk Democratic Socialist Party will be the fifth political party competing for a spot in the 2013 general elections.
The party has claimed that so far it has 300 members and 12 confirmed candidates of 25 potential candidates. One or two of the confirmed candidate are civil servants while most of them are from the private sector.
As per the party’s criteria all the candidates have more than five years of professional experience and no corruption case. The candidates are also those that are known in their constituency and are acceptable to their constituencies.
The party is currently in the process of finalizing its party logo, charter and manifesto. The party office is located on the top floor of the 8 eleven building in Thimphu and will be having a small ceremony today to inaugurate the party office.
The 300 members of DCT are a mix of party members, tshogpas, senior founding members and candidates.
An acting spokesperson for the party Tandin Tshering said, “We have not yet identified the party president as it has to go through consensus of the working committees but if possible, we are expecting to have a woman as our president.”
He said that party will soon be forming a drafting committee comprising at least of five people to frame the party manifesto.
The party has identified a youth coordinator to gather the youth throughout the country
Party worker, J.N. Sharma, said, “We have 26 working committees formed from the party members and the party has also strong support from all 20 Dzongkhags. “
The final logo of the party may be released a week from now according to the party. As of now the draft logo is a lotus growing from a body of water with a Raven bird on top.
The raven symbolizes the balance between Monarchy and democracy, the lotus purity and harmony the water symbolizes the people. The party is also debating whether to add some green to the flower to symbolize growth or the Tsa-Wa-sum jewels. The logo overall symbolizes unity, prosperity and happiness.
“The final logo will depend also on the acceptance by the Election Commission,” said a senior party member.
Some members of the party like Tandin Tshering have left the Druk Mitsher Tshogpa to join DCT as they did not believe in the ideology of that party.
Tandin Tshering said, “This party intends to promote Unity, Prosperity and Happiness by working toward a more just society, by radically transforming governance through greater economic and social democracy so that ordinary Bhutanese can participate in the many decisions that affect their lives.”
He also said the party did not want to create an all-powerful government bureaucracy or big corporate bureaucracies (private sector) to control society. “Rather, we believe that social and economic decisions should be made by those whom they most affect,” he added.
“Our focus will be mainly on people-centric approach and we will strive to bridge the gap between rich and poor, urban and rural, men and women, young and old so that there will be a more harmonious society thereby creating enabling conditions for people to pursue happiness as envisioned by His Majesty, the Fourth Druk Gyalpo,” added Tandin.
A senior female member of the party said that the party has been formed in the last few months by a group of mostly ‘like minded common people’ who feel that their voices are not being heard and who also want common people to be a part of governance.
“Democracy does not mean just having elected leaders but also giving a platform to the masses to share their views,” said the senior member.
The senior member said that the party did not have any influential or prominent members from either the government or the private sector.
Tandin Tshering said that the Democratic Socialists also favor as much political and economic decentralization as possible for higher efficiency and effectiveness.
A senior party member said that the focus of the party will be people-centric involving them in all state policies and programs. “GNH has become more like a slogan but our party will carry out the real vision of His Majesty by creating enabling conditions for people to pursue happiness,” said the senior member.
On the economy the senior member said that the party will support a lot of cooperatives instead of just having state owned enterprises. The member said that the private sector so far has been dominated by a few companies with access to information and opportunity to network. “We will give lots of opportunities through interventions for the common masses and also give parity to local people,” said the senior member.
The party said that it has takes a strong stand against corruption and moreover no candidate with a corrupt track record will be accepted by the party.
A senior party member said that the party was ready for both the primary and general election rounds. “If given the opportunity we would like to also form the government as any party that wants to work for the people should also be ready to form the government in 2013,” said the senior member.
The member, however, pointed out that there is no level playing field as the current leadership has been there for decades with a well established organization across the country. “This does not mean we do not have capable leaders as leadership can only emerge when people are given a chance to be leaders,” said the member.
The senior member said that the party’s Democratic Socialist ideology was chosen after realizing that given Bhutan’s current development no Capitalist, Liberal, Conservative and Marxist systems would work. Chirwang was the closest name that the party could find in Dzongkha to explain Democratic Socialism.
“The welfare state is the essence of democratic socialism with more equity, freedom, justice, unity and prosperity,” said the member.
The party will convene a meeting in a few months where the President, General Secretary, Treasurer, Youth Coordinator, Women’s wing President, Executive Committee will be elected. The committee will then finalize the candidates after which they will approach the ECB for registration.
This latest addition now brings the total count of political parties to five with Druk Phuensum Tshogpa, Peoples Democratic Party, Druk Nyamrup Tshogpa, Druk Mitsher Tshogpa and Druk Chirwang Tshogpa.
There is also speculation that a sixth party may be on it’s way in a month or two. All parties after registering with ECB will have to compete in the primary round only after which two parties will be allowed to compete in the general elections.
GOOD LUCK… DCT!
Please do not form more parties, in a small society like ours with not many well qualified, senior and dedicated citizens, it will only jeopardize the quality of governing legislative body, which ever party comes to power in 2013. Instead, keep the party to 3 or less and work towards pooling in a crop of most influential, knowledgeable, dedicated, senior personalities so that we will have a truly political functioning bodies who will strengthen the nascent democracy and take the nation forward in to the future—that is always bright and vibrant….Thanks….just my take la
Common guys! Dont joke with Bhutanese people. 5th party coming up…..we dont need that much. Be realistic. Instead i will suggest to club with other existing party to fight against DPT. There is not enough candidates for even three parties, let alone think of getting candidates for 5 parties. You parties need to talk to each other seriously…if you really want to put up a fight against DPT. Otherwise you are only destroying yourself and at the same time, you are destroying us too…..
Sonam! Match stick is never used for cooking but for setting fire, Vision is never for today but for tomorrow. If some one has fire to burn and vision for better tomorrow lets give them a privilege . Please do not educate people with pessimism information.
What am I hearing? Bullshit.It looks like a joke to me.
As studied the motto of Druk Cherwang Tshogpa their motto is concern they have beautiful motto ” To Promote Unity, Prosperity and Happiness and among Bhutanese society. Unity must for the prosperity as a result is happiness. If that motive behind party DCT. Its a great dream and we appreciate the visionary president of DCT and no way making very cruel joke and bullshiting us.
More than three parties is too much going by our population size. However, it would give more choice to people, provided they get candidates! Best of luck to all parties!
Unlike Sonam and Kumbo, I am very excited about this news as this party seems to have on their plate something very different for the common people. A party formed by common people to address the needs of common people – I like that!!! DPT is saying, ‘Rural Prosperity” PDP is saying decentralization, DNT is saying people empowerment, DMT says zero unemployment while DCT is saying,’people centric’ . This makes far greater sense than any other party in the country. I wonder who is the mastermind behind this idea as that person seems to be very capable and has thought about it carefully. I salute to their leader and DCT. Tashi Delek.
confidence is okay…..but over-confidence is too dangerous at times ….anyways u have every right to raise ur voice…..
Good news for us. More number of parties mean greater choice of candidates. This party looks like the party of common people. Go for it. Good luck from a common man.
I don’t trust any party with the sense to use the term ‘socialist’ as part of its name. Socialists in Bhutan don’t understand what socialism means. Most will be ready to contribute to social equity by robbing peter to pay paul, and will ensure they are not peter. kind of a built in hypocrisy.
Its because of people like tingting that the gaps between rich and poor in this country continue to widen. I think socialism is the best form in the current century. Even ruling government of USA is democratic socialist
Sonam, I agree democratic socialism is the best ideology for Bhutan. It is the most popular form of governance in over 83 countries that has political party with democratic socialism as its ideology either in power or opposition. Most european countries including our south asian neighbours have political parties with democratic socialism as its ideology. DCT did a smart thing by declaring its ideology. Other parties are so vague in not even declaring what their ideology is? I guess they are trying to play safe but if people have to make the right choice they need to know the ideologies. Come on DPT, PDP, DNT and DMT, declare your ideology like DCT
Lets see the party President first…this is going by the current trend of Bhutanese democracy as understood by overriding majority.
There has to be more party… so that other other party candidate do not take it for granted.. I HAVE FULL SUPPORT…. Good luck.
this Party president ‘magic’ may not work. Partys’ ideology and their constituent member will be studied rather.
What we need is the good intention of party towards civil servant who are basically working day and night to serve people and the country and their support is curicial.. where current system really not not.. giving ways to an attempt to snatch down little incentives
there will be may merging and split and ultimately there will be only two parties before primary round!
DPT drama in full swing. JYT is like a dying rat at the moment so he is involved in creating as many small parties as possible. This is to avoid having a larger party that would actually compete with DPT.The dramastist and the fear mongering PM of Bhutan is responsible for creating a mess in the country and selling Bhutan.
If you want to be critical, please do so with valid and reasonable arguments, the last thing anyone would believe is that the DPT is responsible for the emergence of new parties.
If it is unjust party, it is a true political party. Which person in Bhutan understands what democracy is? So what is the difference naming a party anything?
A communist party may work bettter here, considering economic and social burden imposed by a political will to nurture one culture and obliterate others.
If this party wants someone with five years’ (hard) experience, it is sure the party is a fundamentalist instead of a socialist, does it mean that a person without job was not a member of our society?
What is the the positive corelation between experience(in a given office) to politics? I am a student does it mean i was unconcious for all my past and i will become conscious person only after holding a chair? The term experience is associated to any conscious entity, if mr. X was building his experience in a confined office i was experiencing real world in an open arena. Everyone irrespective of age exists in same time experiencing same conditions, instead a person in job may develop a habbit of following a monotonous thinking. Do you think a man with fifty years of experience back in 1800s would have used mobile as efficiently as a ten year old of 2012(totally unexperienced in your sense)? Since this is a new world, there are reasons why older people (older brain models) should not be cherished in politics.
It is intellectual ability that matters in politics and social aptitude + attitude makes a better politician, using floating words like equality, justice, freedom, economic prosperity, or social justice without corresponding ideology makes the party seem a puffed bladder.
I am against such parties that seperate experienced from a novice. Willing to reduce the disparity between rich and poor and urban and rural unluckily if brains work less than their mouth they are another replica of devils, because the strategies employed would result in more harm then boon.
We need another party that can coin Dzongkha terms to name these babies.
I put this petition to the party ‘DCT’ if you cannot make it then fake it -people are getting your nemesis, having no one with copprution records into party doesnot mean they can’t become corrupted, who knows they might have escaped the legal eyes.
If some one wanted to practice the law of righteousness let them practice we should not pass the verdict before the un-action. we must observed first, interprete second and apply eventually last. This is law of implementation
Seems obvious to me that DPT will have a tough time in 2013 facing these four Parties merging to become One (PDP), who might win the election this time. 🙂
If I were in the DPT, I would be having a quiet laugh, if they want to merge as a united force, why form three more parties. It is clear that the 3 new parties don’t want to have anything to do with the PDP, hence the emergence of these three new parties, which at the end will only play into the hands of the ruling DPT party.
Lets wait and see what happens.
Now i am beginning to loose my faith in Bhutanese politics and politicians simply because all MPs worries only about themselves. I think guys must be knowing what i am trying to say la.
Any way i will keep on working and rest leave it up to god. No matter what we do at the end of the month we get our salary and we have a vote in our hands la.
Any way good luck to all the parties.
if same member is selected…………two possibilities
1. he/she will not dedicate……………because he don’t have to impress people for another round of vote.. cus there are member who opted self politics
2. he/she will work hard more than before…..because of their last tenure in service of politics as there are definitely some one who genuinely worked for the country
……therefore.. the choice of the people should be perfect this time… .. perfect screening pls
The major concern for the citizens in general is the need for greater numbers of candidates in the respective constituency which the number of parties create the same avenue. Let their be more political party and lets hope that we get the best of the best candidate. While at the same time, each of us who votes, have a bigger and sacred responsibility in identifying the right candidate in the interest of our future generation and translating the vision of our farsighted DRUK GYALPO THE FOURTH KING & THE FIFTH KING. May our TRIPLE GEM bless us in choosing the right candidate. GYALO GYALO LHA GYALO, PALDEN DRUKPA LHA GYALO!!!!!!!
Too many POlitical Parties for a small Nation like ours will spoil the broth….yes its good to have many political parties..but going by the poplation of our country…imagine…if many are party members…who are going to vote? When people are given too many choices..it will lead to confusion as Democracy is still at infant stage to the many rural people of our country…more than 5 parties will be…oh..can’t imagine how successful it will be…so I pray..that it remains at 4 or 5…not more than that…otherwise all the educated populate will be in party politics…not one will be left to vote..hahaaa..just my wild thought please…anyways..gud luck to DCT…
It is good to come in front of Bhutanese people and share their knowledge, either political or religion, but main concern is try not to mix it and give their best in own way, good luck
its really nice to c more parties participating in 2013 elections.i hope ur party really work hard n wish everything comes ur way ahead…all the very best