After campaigning in Nanong-Shumar, Pemagatshel, the Druk Phuensum Tshogpa president, Pema Gyamtsho met with the people of Nganglam yesterday. The president will move to Mongar today, where he will wrap up his campaign.

Save for Zhemgang, the president has visited all the dzongkhags in a span of less than 25 days, including Laya.

The DPT began its first lap of campaign in Dagana, Tsirang and Sarpang, where the party lost. The president then trailed the west, Paro, Haa and Thimphu. The campaign team then headed to north in Gasa and Laya followed by Samtse and Chukha.

Enroute to the east, he also campaigned in Wangdue, Trongsa and Bumthang.

Pema Gyamtsho has so far conducted more than 60 campaign meetings each consuming more than an hour and half. His meetings are interactive where he encourages the people to ask questions related to the party’s manifesto and gathers feedback.

His meetings usually begin by offering Tashi Delek to all the people. “I offer Tashi Delek not because DPT made it to the general round, but for the successful primaries,” he said in almost all the meetings.

Pema Gyamtsho also never forgets to console the supporters of People’s Democratic Party and Bhutan Kuen-Nyam Party. “This is how democracy works, you may win and you may have to back out at times,” he says. “But if you refrain from participating in the electoral process discerning other parties, you are not only undermining your own rights but also putting the country at stake.”

Then he delves into the DPT’s pledge to make the country economically self reliant by way of implementing the hydropower dream.

Pema Gyamtsho, while campaigning in Gangzur, Lhuntse said the national debt is bound to increase should the country pursue hydropower. “Both the former governments have assured that it is a self liquidating debt and it is so,” he said.

Since the country dared, he said the Chukha and Kurichhu loans are now liquidated. Tala loan, he said would see its end this year. “Now the revenue is fully ours,” he said.

Should the country expedite the three ongoing mega projects, he said the party has done its math and it would cover the capital expenditures. But this, he said is not enough and that the country must do more to ensure that it doesn’t fall back.

Road, electricity and communication network, the president said are the bedrock of economic transformation, which the DPT government initiated and the fruits of which are being reaped today.

Talking about its candidates with parliamentary experience, Pema Gyamtsho in every meeting said that governance has no room for trail and error. He validates this by displaying a banner of its candidates and introducing all 47 one by one.

The DPT pledged to increase to the gewog development grant to Nu 7M specifically to enhance social wellbeing and happiness in the grass roots.

The president said it has been a fulfilling journey thus far. The party was greeted with an overwhelming turnout in Rangjung, which is the highest followed by Trashiyantse and Samtse.

Tshering Dorji  | Nganglam

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