At one point there was so much excitement that the political process in Bhutan is getting healtheir with the talk of the likelihood of more than 3 political parties to contest the elctions. And as usual the excitement is dying down - literally...and now we hear that if we have only 2 parties then there may not be a primary round of elections. I am now begining to wonder what is really happening behind the scenes. If this is what we are finally getting into then why did we have to go through all this turmoil, and make believe charades.

In our efforts to rush the process are we not seriously compromising the wonderful opportunity to institute a political process unique to Bhutan as unique as everything else from the start? Are we going to just let the power brokers hold the gift of the Throne ransom - to fulfill their own selfish ends. DO WE REALLY NEED AN ELECTION COMMISSION JUST RESIGNED TO ACCEPTING THE CIRCUMSTANCES, AND NOT BEING PROACTIVE ...ENCOURAGING MORE PARTIES TO COME AND ENRICH THE WHOLE PROCESS? SHOULDN’T THE ECB MOVE BEYOND THE MECHANICAL ASPECTS OF THE HISTORIC MOVE AND INFORM PEOPLE ABOUT WHAT DEMOCRACY IS ALL ABOUT, ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF THE RULE OF LAW, PROTECTION OF HUMAN RIGHTS, INCLUSIVITY AND FOLLOWING ONES VOTE?

And if at the fag end of the process, the Ministers and some of the senior ones are just going to Gangup to ensure the ‘WIN and POWER’; brainwash the innocent bulk of the Bhutanese citizenry saying they are joining politics as the call of the nation (what bullshit!), and not really be bothered about the true essense of democracy through informed and wider choices, than why do we need to blow up so much scarce resources. We could have just thrown the dice!

Our top brass keep paying lip servie to the Throne - Zhap Ngadag Rinpoche gi Kazhindu...well we all know His Majesty the beloved 4th clearly stated that for the political process to make sense and also gain recognition, credibility and legitimacy, we must have atleast 3 parties. WHAT HAPPENED THEN?

ANYBODY LISTENING?????????????????????????????????????????????????

how right you are, very right. but you see there are some reasons i believe. one is as you say the ministers like any one else want to win and they stick together. they also dont want to leave quietly because it is not easy to gove up power and status. if they love their king and say they follow their king, they should also follow king’s example of resigning and handing country to new king and poeple. but thatt thay cannot do.
second problem is young bhutanese who talk big but really cannot do very much. those young joining politics aere joining the ministers because they want to win and others are just talking and shouting behind the curtain and not coming int he open so it is both ministers and bhutanese educated peple who are disgracing king’s command

Why don’t lashingdongbo and laloo form the 3rd party instead of blaming others. One can be the president and the other the General Secretary

May be Basanti is right...so what do you say Lalooji. We could actually launch the IIIrd Front ...

Name of the Party : Druk Democratic Congress

President :  Lhashingdongbo

V. President /General Secretary ; Laloo

Party Messenger/Clown :  Basanti

Basanti, seriously, I am begining to wonder whether this great event in our history is slowly being engineered to become just an eye wash by our so called leaders in their selfish and insecure attempts to ensure their bread and butter...and not so much to follow the Great Leader in serving the nation. And if Basanti is so immune to what is happening than may be your heart and soul doesn’t belong to the Palden Drukpa.

While I am not such a great fan of the PDP and its projected leaders, atleast they were honest enough in their designs I think. The 5 or 6 Ministers were basically very pretentious, sly and manipulative in their designs ---denying their interest in joining politics but scheming behind closed doors - and that is exactly what Bhutanese politics should not be. Well, I hope that their designs are more noble then what I am begining to suspect...if not God save this country!

now we face second problem of politics. you have appointed yourself president. i want to be president. with big stomach and balding head i look more like ministers who are running and can give them strong chellenge. you are right very muvh. these fellows are only trying to help their own carreer and joining by blaming kings.
lets not call third front because if the partt of bpup breaks up agin our name is wrong. if we say druk democr congress then people will confuse with dzongkha dvelopment commission so we call oursleves commonman party

Why do we complain for everything. First the complain was why are the ministers not joining politics. It is their sacred duty to join and if they didn’t that showed that they didn’t care for the country. Now the complain is why are they joining when they earlier said that they were not joining. What are they supposed to do. Personally I will give my vote to PDP as I feel we need some new blood in our government and I think they will win with a landslide victory (no doubt about it) but I think it is good that the ministers can provide a good opposition and as a stablizing factor incase the new government make some mistakes.

And if really need be we can form the 3rd front with DDC.

Basanti, if you had read my post carefully...I am just raising a concern and not complaining. Infact I wanted to introduce a healthy dicussion on this new turn of events in our political transition where we are basically seeing a 2 party situation which do not in anyway give this big jump into democracy anything to be exicted about. And then we have many Lyonpos who said they had no interest in politics suddenly revealing their hidden conspiracy to gang up together, and in the process also swallow the shallow BPUB. If they are so concerned about the Royal wishes and if they are genuinue about their interest to serve the ‘Bhutanese Population’ and move this political process forward...and give Bhutan and the global community something to be proud of, why aren’t they atleast forming 2 parties and make us proud of them.

But that is asking too much of them I see now...and from all the major events that took place in contemporary Bhutan, now we know everything happened because of His Majesty the GREAT 4th and all our Ministers did was take good care of themselves.

Anyway, I still think the Election Commission should make serious efforts to encourge more parties to form.

If we look at the dismal list of candidates for the National Council and just only 2 political parties, there is something wrong with the whole process. Either we are not ready to see less and less of our beloved Kings or the people just do not understand the implication as well as the opportunity of the whole democratisation process…

Anyway Basanti, you can give your vote to the devil if you want but that is your right. If you are convinced that PDP will win good for you.  I am still not convinced one bit by this whole political transition......

I think why we have only 2 parties is because of people like u who will only complain and critisize others and themselves not do anything about it. Why don’t u start the 3rd party instead of blaming the lynpos or the election commission. Probably if the lynpos started another party you would be complaining why only the lynpos are starting parties and accuse them of monopolizing the election and not giving others a chance. And what is wrong with 5 lynpos working together if they feel that they can give a good government for the people and the country. me thinks u speak like a child.