The Bhutanese Leading the way.
Druk Phuensum Tshogpa’s (DPT) campaign for the general round started after receiving blessings from the Machhen Lhakhang in Punakha Dzong. The party leader and team then departed on their journey towards Dagana on 24 September, where it held its first campaign meeting. The party leader and representatives met with the public of Drujeygang, Tshangkha and Goshi geowogs consecutively on the same day.
En-route to Dagana, DPT met with the people of Sunkosh. DPT President Pema Gyamtsho pledged to construct the Sunkosh Hydropower Project if DPT can form the government, explaining to the public that DPT aspires to execute at least three hydropower projects, and revamp the national target of increasing the electricity generation capacity.
The next day, the campaign was held in Karna and Tshendagang gewog after which the campaign headed towards Tsirang where the meeting was held with the party coordinators and supporters after 6:00 pm.
Pema Gyamtsho cautioned the people of Tseza and Karna gewogs in Dagana to refrain from engaging in corrupt practices- taking bribes for votes and spreading false news about political parties. “Winning is not ascertained as voting is entirely the rights of an individual, which is why we haven’t won in the primary round,” he said in Lhotsham kha, adding that the party is not sad with the primary round result.
A meeting was held with public of Tsirang-toed and the public and business community of Damphu Throm on the 3rd day of the campaign. In Damphu, the DPT President promised the people to upgrade Damphu central school to a college and review and improve central school policy ensuring mid-day meals to the students studying in remote schools.
After the meeting, the DPT team departed for Gelephu where the campaign was held with public and business community of Gelephu Throm and met with the party coordinator and supporters later.
To the people of Gelephu, DPT President pledged to expedite the establishment of Jigmeling Industrial Estate should the party form the government.
On 28 September, the party leader and team began its campaign from Doban gewog followed by Chokhorling and Singye gewog where the party met with the public of Singye, Gakedling and Sompanglha at Sarpang central school. The party also met with public of Dakedling and Samtenling gewog on the same day.
Talking to the people of Doban in Sarpang, the DPT President said that the party is a team with good blend of young and old, with 16 candidates with experience of having worked as Member of Parliament for at least five years, 3 as ministers and five young candidates below the age of 30. At Umling gewog in Sarpang, the president said that DPT will seek to achieve national economic self-reliance by 2025 if elected.
And to achieve this big dream, DPT will execute at least three hydropower projects, make private sector a backbone of economy, ensure removing the structural impediments and improving the ease of doing business, expedite the establishment of industrial estates, promote tourism as a high-end, all-season and top 10 tourist destination.
He said DPT will promote IT and IT-enabled industries and services, ensure 100% food self-reliance by doubling the national budget allocation to RNR, invest in irrigation schemes and promote domestic production to substitute imports, establish an Agricultural Bank to provide loans with concessional interest rate and
de-monopolize the economy and enhance fair distribution of wealth.
The journey was made back towards Tsirang where the campaign will hold a meeting in Mendrelgang gewog on 29 September. On the same day, the DPT campaign will start in Wangduephodrang in Kamichu and Gaselo where the party team will meet with the business community and public of Kamichu and nearby gewogs. The campaign in Wangduephodrang will be closed after meeting with the public of Nahi gewog.
The seventh day of the campaign will be started from Gasa where a meeting will be held with public of Kathoed gewog and business community of Gasa Throm, and they will then leave for Koina gewog. The party team will then return to Thimphu on 1 October after the meeting with the public of Laya gewog on the same day.
The party tentatively scheduled the second phase of the general round campaign to be continued from Trongsa followed by Bumthang where the DPT President will attend the public debate followed by campaign in Haa and Samtse.
Pema Gyamtsho criticized some pledges of the Druk Nyamrup Tshogpa (DNT), especially on the free WiFi access, doing away with the cut-off point for class ten and giving six months maternity pay to rural women. He said such unrealistic pledges would hamper resources and sustainability. He further said that doing away of the cut-off point for class X students will further deteriorate the quality of education
