Govt failed, opposition slam as election nears

As the government prepares to leave stage as part of the process to hold general elections, the ruling party is making all effort to boost is position saying it’s was a very successful government. The others attacking claiming the government was a failure.

Opposition party DPT has attacked the government for its inability to abide by over 60 percent of the promises made during the 2013 elections.

Of course, PDP government was partly a failure. The primary slogan of the party during previous election was to ensure 100 percent employment rate. However, with only very few managing to get through to foreign employment, population of new job seeker in the country continue to rise. The government had hardly created any employment opportunities in five years.

The corruption scandal hit the government hard with allegations for misuse of public funds in road, hospital and schools construction tendering. Anti-Corruption Commission indicted the government on nepotism and favoritism while approving government tenders. The then home minister Rinzin Dorji had to resign as the corruption scandals threatened the government’s public image in 2015.

The bureaucracy undermined the capacity of the government. In 2015, three government secretaries bypassed the government and made direct contact with the Indian diplomats on several issues. Other than suspending from their job, the elected government failed to take any actions against the act of the secretaries. That challenged the election government by questioning where the ultimate power rests.

The king whirls majority of power – even on promoting schools teachers. Very recently Principal II of Lhuentse Higher Secondary School Dorji Nidup was promoted to next grade through royal command – not by the decision of an elected government. This is an example to demonstrate limited of authority an elected government holds in Bhutan – mere a rubber stamp under the royal shadow.

The future government are expected neither to be stronger too. As parties finalise their candidates and prepare for extensive campaigning, their ultimate position is who would get a better royal blessings.

The survival of the fledging duo-cracy (only two parties are ultimately authentic despite the claim of multi-party democracy) rests with the activism of the individual politicians and constructive participation of the general public in the democratic process.