Ngedup is now a figure of the past, Tobgay to lead PDP
A long time speculation of Sangay Ngedup’s return to politics has ended on Saturday evening as the national gathering of the opposition party People’s Democratic Party (PDP) names Tshering Tobgay as the formal president of the party.
Of the 150 party members gathered in Thimphu, 134 voted. Out of this, 131 supported Tobgay as the party president. Officials from the Election Commission stood as witness of the election process.
The party is gradually gearing up for the second parliamentary election slated for early next year. The party is facing some trouble as few of its previous candidates opted to form news parties while others refused to return to politics. Some new faces are likely in the run off to the election.
According to the financial report presented to the gathering, the party has paid off 60 per cent of the Nu 22 million debt. The Election Commission has made it mandatory for party to clear debt by June this year to be eligible to participate in next election.
The party has amended its logo, adding yellow colour as background and picture of horse. It is interesting to note that the election commission rejected this logo earlier. The commission had then not given any explanation for rejection, though a logo is just a representation of the party.
The party adopted a twisting strategy to grasp the southern votes by embracing a Nepali-speaking Yogesh Tamang as the general secretary. The move comes shortly after Tobgay and his party was seen as enemy to southern Bhutan when he objected Prime Minister Thinley’s statement that anyone remaining in Nepal as resettlement completes should be repatriated to their homeland. Tobgay’s statement had irked most southern Bhutanese. Tamang’s inclusion in the top job of the party is certainly is a trick to get votes and clear his smeared face in south.
Appointing Sonam Wangyal as the youth co-ordinator, the party has given hints to embrace youth votes as well. The youth votes are likely to be detrimental in the upcoming election.