The bankrupt state of the Druk Phuensum Tshogpa (DPT) party has spawned new problems. Its coordinators are rethinking their decision of being a part of the party.

About 160 party coordinators, from across the country, who met yesterday in Thimphu, said that they felt left out when local government bodies do not “invite” them to attend meetings or participate in the process of development at the local level.

“If democracy is to be vibrant and function well, it’s important that we be a part of all such meetings,” said one of the tshogpa members from Thimphu, Chang Ugyen. “So we feel that resigning from the party would be better for us, as we can participate in any meeting like other village people,” said Chang Ugyen.

Party coordinators in a day long meeting said that they should be given some power to be a part of the local government process, because they were the ones, who worked hard in informing the public about the party when democracy began.

“But today, after the elections are over, we’re not called for meetings,” said Chang Ugyen. “We didn’t become a member of the party for kidus and financial help, but to help in starting democracy on a strong footing and to be a part of the development process.”

They also discussed the condition of their offices in their dzongkhags. Of the 20, they said, only three offices in Bumthang, Trashigang and Trongsa were functioning.

A member from Samdrupjongkhar said that the small office he had rented had to be closed after they couldn’t pay the rent. “It was embarrassing for the new government to not be able to pay rent, so it was closed and instead I opened one in my house,” he said.

Despite having a namesake office, the party coordinator from Sarpang said that tshogpa members are backing off because there were no benefits to being a member.

They said that, with no power given to them, they were not able to collect funds that could help in running offices in their dzongkhags. “So far, it’s the business community, like contractors, who’ve been financially supporting running the offices,” said one of the coordinators. “If the government isn’t going to support us, then for how long can we depend on the business community?”

The issues discussed will be tabled today at the royal academy of performing arts hall, with 15 representatives from each zone, the east, west, south, north and central, and 45 members of parliament, which includes the prime minister and the ten ministers.

“It’s more a question of becoming a part of the local governance and the developmental process,” said an observer. “It’s not that they weren’t allowed to participate, it’s about not being invited.”  Source: Kuenselonline