KP Sharma

The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) commenced its campaign for the upcoming general election from Punakha yesterday.

Explaining the importance of choosing Punakha as the starting point, party president Tshering Tobgay explained the historical connection with Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal and expressed gratitude to the people for their overwhelming support in the primary elections.

Despite winning all constituencies in Punakha and Wangdue by a massive margin in the primary election, Tshering Tobgay said that the party should not solely rely on the primary results. He is committed to working hard to win more support and trust from the people in Punakha and Wangdue.

Addressing voters, Tshering Tobgay highlighted the party’s impressive track record and the pool of qualified candidates who, he said, are ready to serve the country at any time.

He said that ministerial candidates, unlike other parties,  would not be declared during the campaign to influence voters but only after the election results. “Most of our candidates are qualified to take the responsibility of a minister, but let us first win the election,” he said.

Discussing the potential benefits for Punakha, Tshering Tobgay said that a PDP-led government would focus on boosting the local economy through tourism.

PDP plans to create a tourist trek linking five gewogs and upgrading the Lobesa to Punakha Road to a double lane, along with upgrading other essential roads in the dzongkhag.

“When we bring more than 300,000 tourists to the country, Punakha will be one of the tourist spots in the country,” the president said.

During the afternoon meeting with the people of Wangdue, Tshering Tobgay urged voters to consider the competitiveness of the candidates for overall development performance in the community.

Pledging to address the long-standing issues, he promised to facilitate the Bajo town planning and build a river protection wall to ensure the safety of the town and the community.

The president also committed to improving Wangdue Hospital for better healthcare services and upgrading the Wangdue-Tsirang highway, if PDP is given the opportunity.

Meanwhile, voters who attended the meetings are upbeat about the pledges. “We will vote for the party that prioritises the welfare of the people,” Tenzin, a voter at the meeting said.

Most of the voters said that considering the current economic crisis, electing a competitive, knowledgeable and capable party leader and his team is their top priority.

Meanwhile, the Bhutan Tendrel Party president will begin his formal campaign from Semtokha Dzong today.