The Bhutan Kuen-Ngyam Party (BKP) who harped on the ‘team freewill’ trump card since its birth called a press conference where it finally backed fluid words with solid numbers; as in number of confirmed candidates.
In a press meet yesterday at the party office the BKP spokesperson Sonam Tobgay confirmed that as of now there are 29 members.
Unlike what convention dictates BKP does not consider winning or losing as a pivotal approach, for the cause might as well be compromised.
The party has two women candidates contesting from the North and south Thimphu Throm.
There are a total of 4 women candidates out of the 17 members announced earlier by the BKP but the women composition from amongst the current 29 members cannot be confirmed yet.
The two women candidates mentioned earlier, he said are still in civil service and would resign this month. From the two candidates yet to come open in public this month, one will be resigning from the civil service this Friday.
That said the party already has four members who has come forth in public and those being Sonam Tobgay from Gaselo ,Wangduephodrang, Rtd major Kama Chettri from Dagana, Thinley Dorji from Chukha and Tshering Nidup from Zhemgang.
Considering this fact if the minister for Work and Human Settlement Lyonpo Yeshey Zimba re-runs for office then it is most likely that he will contest against one of these two women besides candidates from other parties.
However he refused to mention their names as they are still in civil service.
At the conference the spokesperson also announced that the party manifesto and charter has also been drafted. And adding to that he said that the party general secretary has also been confirmed and the name will be revealed later next month.
Apparently the secretary general of BKP seems to be a male candidate and as of now he is still working in some institution and due for resignation later in October.
However regarding decisions on other office bearers has not yet been decided. He said the party is not worried about the leadership or any executive positions but its importance is more inclined towards the composition of the party regarding its ethical overviews
Sonam Tobgay also mentioned that the party’s candidate from the lower Chukha (Phuentsholing) will most likely be a woman.
A point he assured to the media was that currently there are no members in the party who contested during the last elections in 2008. He also ruled out that the party would not be entertaining any former members of other parties and added, “We are open for candidates who competed during the 2008 elections as far as they qualify to be considered one as a candidate or a member”.
The members or candidates of the BKP are mostly from the civil service, according to the party spokesperson. When asked about the specifications of the party’s candidates, the BKP said it’s too early for the members to come out.
Although the earlier statements given by the BKP stated that the registration will take place towards October but they say to be registered candidates is not important but a good representation of membership is required which are credible in terms of intellect, funding and credible enough for the party to take off.
The BKP expects to submit their membership closely to about 50 amongst which some of the potential candidates will be included.
The party has started engagement in informal discussions with the Election Commission of Bhutan (ECB) in terms of getting the party registered.
The main objective of BKP according to Sonam Tobgay is the growth in social economic development and poverty alleviation beside others. He said winning or losing should come in any way.
Reiterating the BKP mantra that ‘if any party puts winning or losing in the front then it is dissolution to the cause for the well being of the nation and its people will be compromised’, the currently most prominent BKP candidate and spokesperson said the BKP has and will uphold by a composition of professionals and technocrats and not necessarily politicians will give it an edge over other parties.
As of now the parliament consists of only 14 % women, but people expect more women candidates during the 2013 elections; however the BKP says it all depends whether any woman contesting qualifies all the necessary requirements to compete in the elections.
The BKP according to their members say that, although the democracy runs through majority but it plans to engage 100% in consensus referring it as crucial and vital in terms of the institutions sustainability, continuity and success.
In this samsara, whoever you see is not human, but a fraud. That is why all the people in this samsaric world are professionals/experts capable of producing many brand of sufferings and it is more so with modern educated people busy exploiting illiterates. However I can subtly see humility in BKP and let us watch how it is fairing.