Bhutan is a ‘baby’ democracy but where are the celebrations?

“We have only answered to the call of our king. We are happy but I don’t think this is the right time for celebrations,” Pasang Dorji, former speaker of the erstwhile National Assembly, said.

“We will be eligible to celebrate only when we are able to perform our duties and fulfill the aspairations of the king,” Dorji told PTI.

The mood at the office of DPT, which won a landslide victory in Monday’s elections, here after the results were declared was like that of a family function, with elaborate arrangement of food and beverages.

Party leaders Yeshey Zimba and Ugyen Tshering were seen attending phone calls and talking with party workers but there were no victory speeches.

A woman at the party office summed up the mood as “an occasion where all the family members are not present”.

“The DPT may have won but we feel sorry for the losers.

So we are not in a celebration mood,” said Dema Wangmo.

Party spokesman Palden Tshering said all the candidates had put up a responsible approach to fight the elections.

“Candidates gave up jobs, a stable environment and gave up a lot,” he said.