Druk Chirwang Tshogpa joins the 2013 race after registering with ECB

Druk Chirwang Tshogpa yesterday registered as the second party to enter the 2013 fray at 11.30 am in the Election Commission.

This will now push the list of prospective players from three to four parties in 2013.

“We submitted a list of 45 candidates out of which some are tentative to the ECB, along with other requirements,” said DCT President Lily Wangchuk (read pg 3 story for biography).

She said that the candidates were a mix of people from the private sector and civil service with a varied age group from late 20s to late 50s.

“Though more than 50% of our 45 candidates are confirmed we have some tentative candidates from the civil service. In case they cannot join we have some back up candidates,” said Lily.

However, the doors are not closed for aspiring politicians as DCT is still on the lookout for interested and good candidates. “The list of candidates will be further scrutinized and reviewed by a committee,” said Lily.

The President, however, made it clear that her party was not following the trend in approaching senior minister and bureaucrats. “It will be the same people with same ideas but we are looking for new people with new ideas,” said Lily.

She said that DCT had originally planned to register much later but they rushed with the registration when they realized that the next two months on the Bhutanese calendar would be ‘black months’ to register. The black month period would have started from 15th November to 13th January 2013.

She said that her overall party vision was to work towards positive change. “I think a lot of times about His Majesty’s quote saying if you want to see change then use new tools- we want to bring positive change with new ideas and faces,” said Lily Wangchuk.

On her party’s chances for 2013 against DPT she said, “It will be very challenging because the ruling government is well established but with positive outlook and good teamwork were hopeful for a positive impact in 2013,” said Lily Wangchuk.

On the DPT governments performance so far she said, “I think you do hear a lot of concerns being shared that the DPT government did not work on the values of equity and justice.”

On the government’s handling of the economic problems she said, “I think the governments could have done a better job.”

In the registration process DCT like other parties before and after it submitted a list of tentative candidates, accounts of all expenses and income from the start of the party till registration, copies of membership forms and the party charter. The party is also supposed to have party offices in all 20 dzongkhags with broad based members from all Dzongkhags.

Lily Wangchuk said that her party already has around 300 members from across the country.

Lily said that she would only formally be taking charge as the DCT President from 1st December 2012 when she would leave her current post as Director of the Bhutan Media Foundation.

Earlier the Bhutan Kuen-Ngyam Party became the first party to register after it registered on 30th October, 2012 with the ECB.

However, for both the new parties that have registered with the ECB they will have to pass a tough and stringent test by the ECB before officially being allowed to take part in the 2013 fray. The main requirement here is to have 47 confirmed candidates from all 47 constituencies which neither BKP nor DCT has completely fulfilled.

The parties after registering will have to pass scrutiny by the election registrar, an ECB subcommittee and finally the commission who will declare the final and eligible parties.

Druk Chirwang Tshogpa’s symbol is mythical bird with its wings spread and beak surging skyward from a blooming pink lotus from water back-dropped against a jewel.

The water represents a life of purity and prosperity of the nation which gives birth to the lotus indicating unity. The bird with its wing spread depicts reaching the unreached regions and its open beak facing the north represents voice for the voiceless. The green jewel indicates the hidden intellectual wealth of the country.

DCT translated to English can be read as ‘Party of the Common People.

The parties initial roots was established when a sizeable chunk or majority of the Druk Mitsher Tshogpa left the party and joined with new colleagues to form the DCT.

The only two parties yet to register now are the Druk Nyamrup Tshogpa and Druk Mitsher Tshogpa.