Inaugurating the Dzongkhag party office in Paro, Druk Phuensum Tshogpa (DPT) officially began its election campaign for the primary round of the National Assembly elections from Paro on Thursday morning.
DPT President Pema Gyamtsho met with the people of Lamgong-Wangcha constituency in Paro.
He told the congregation of around 400 people that DPT will work towards achieving self-sufficiency and self-reliance by 2025 and also improve tourism industry and agriculture sector for the benefit of the people.
“If the party gets elected, we will work to complete the power projects and decrease unemployment,” he added.
Pema Gyamtsho urged the people to refrain from indulging in corrupt practices, either big or small or in any kind, for the welfare of the country in the long term.
He also said that there was a need to change Paro town into a model for the outside world given that most tourists enter Bhutan via Paro.
The DPT president was also accompanied by the former candidate of Lamgong-Wangcha constituency, Khandu Wangchuk, who said people choosing the right candidate and voting for the candidate can make a difference.
“As election campaigning started, parties making false promises are easy. When we were in ruling, we initiated constructing three hydropower projects and by the time I resigned as the economic affairs minister in 2013, we were all set to sign MoU for the development of six more hydropower projects. Today, after five years, we do not see a single hydropower project coming up,” he added.
DPT’s Lamgong-Wangcha candidate for the 2018 elections, Phub Tshering said they were finding out issues for the last six months that people in the constituency confronted like drinking water and irrigation issue which need to be addressed.
“There is also a need to upgrade the hospital for the welfare of the people living in the Dzongkhag and improve road conditions,” he added.
Later in the afternoon, the DPT president met with the people of Dogar–Shaba constituency in Paro at the Naja gewog centre and highlighted on the importance of elections, casting votes and the achievements of DPT from 2008 to 2018 as the ruling party and the opposition.
DPT’s Dogar–Shaba candidate, Chencho Dorji said every vote is important and that choosing the right candidate who can benefit the people depends on the voters.
“I know and have seen every nook of the constituency where problems need to be addressed,” he added.
Meanwhile, the campaign period will close at 9 am on September 13. Pema Gyamtsho will attend two rounds of televised presidential debates on August 26 and September 2.
The first presidential debate will be held on the parties’ ideologies and the second one on their manifestos.
Tshering from Paro
