In keeping with His Majesty’s kasho calling the elections to ensure free and fair elections, the Druk Phuensum Tshogpa (DPT) president said there is a standing order to the personnel from the heads of both the Royal Bhutan Army and Royal Bhutan Police to maintain an apolitical status.

Despite this, Pema Gyamtsho told the people in Lhuentse and Mongar yesterday that some people are instilling fear among the people with the intention to take down DPT. “It is a desperate move,” he said.

The Druk Nyamrup Tshogpa (DNT), he said is also going around stating that they are a shoo-in to win the elections and that if the east doesn’t support DNT, there could be repercussions.

“This is not only divisive and threatening but also undermining the people’s right,” he said.

If it was only about winning, Pema Gyamtsho said the party would have focused in the constituencies it had won in the primaries and a few more. “We can easily win. But we don’t want to win by dividing the country,” he said.

On the eve of the poll day, he said DPT or DNT should not cherish victory.  “People and the country must win,” he said.

He said that if people are able to speak their mind without fear and stay united under one King, the people wins. If unprecedented peace, security and sovereignty await the country’s future, he said the country wins. If these are ensured, he said DPT would be contented whatever the results may be.

However, he said, if the people get influenced by false claims that divide the nation, the country will be ripped apart based on regionalism. “Today, if people give in to threats and fear, for the next five years you cannot raise your head, let alone your voice and concerns,” he said.

Pema Gyamtsho also said that parties and individuals might give money. “If you receive money, you should question where the money comes from because there is only limited legitimate source for all the parties,” he said.

Freebies, he said is another way to lure votes and empathy is the new tool where people are made to feel so pathetic. “People must realise that living condition and situation is different today compared to 20 years ago,” he said.

The DPT government, he said has halved the poverty rate from 24 percent to 12 percent in five years. The former government reduced it further to eight percent. For those who are severely poverty stricken, he said His Majesty has been graciously supporting the people through kidu programmes.

He urged people to be mentally and emotionally strong. “If you can resist this, there is no way we could go wrong in electing a government,” he said.

The DPT president met about 1,500 people of Menbi and Gangzur yesterday in Lhuentse. Later in the afternoon, the president met about 200 people in Mongar Throm and another 40 people in Konbar chiwog.

Tshering Dorji |Mongar