The Bhutanese Leading the way.
After the 10-day petition period after the poll ended on 6 November, Druk Nyamrup Tshogpa (DNT) officially formed the government on 7 November. Although the DNT President, Dr Lotay Tshering, received a Kasho stating his appointment as the Prime Minister of Bhutan on 29 October from His Majesty The King, however, the Prime Minister and the ministers received their Dakyen from His Majesty on 7 November.
During an earlier press conference, the DNT Spokesperson, Dr Tandin Dorji, said that though the tenure of the Interim Government ended on 29 October, they could not take over the government as the petition period is over only on 6 November.
Therefore, the cabinet Dakyen was granted by His Majesty on 7 November.
“We are very happy that we will be working with an experienced Opposition.” In addition, he also said that DNT was pleased to have the nomination for the Speaker and Deputy Speaker from the Opposition party too.
DNT had set up a committee to discuss and form a list of names for the ministerial posts.
“DNT in scrutinizing its candidates for the ministerial posts has taken a lot of criteria in selecting the candidates and regional balance has been one of the important criteria,” he added.
In addition, he also said that DNT also looked at the performance of the candidates, their capability, how they can interact and their background.
The list was released prior to the Dakyen ceremony so as to give the chosen candidates the time to prepare. The Members of Parliament (MP’s) and the Cabinet, together, will be doing their Tendrel ceremony on 7 November.
“Tendrel is being done on same day for the convenience of all the people who would like to come, most importantly for large majority of our supporters who would want to come and see all of us at once. Different dates will be a problem for our supporters who will be coming from the other the dzongkhags,” he said.
Meanwhile, DNT, following the Constitution, had earlier requested the National Assembly Secretariat to ask whether the Opposition wanted to name its candidates for the posts of Speaker and Deputy Speaker. “We were also hoping that we could work amicably with them and to reduce the divisive politics,”he said.
In addition, he said that in the past because there was no nomination of names from the Opposition. Had there been no candidate- nomination from both sides, DNT was planning to select a Deputy Speaker from DPT. “Since there were candidates from both sides, we went through the election,” he said, and further adding that such nominations and election will set a good example.
In next over the few days, DNT plans to make the process simpler, more convenient, more conducive and less divisive. DNT Spokesperson said, “We will work to bring back the harmony and unity.”
As the lunar calendar steps into the unfavourable month or Dhana on 8 November, DNT is yet to find a favourable time to conduct its first session of the Parliament, he said.
Meanwhile, DNT has 2 to 3 candidates for the post of the Party President, and an election will be carried out to pick one. “The nominations for the new president will be one outside the Parliament,” he added, as DNT does not want to mix government work with party work.
