With the election battle heating up in Bhutan, the Druk Nyamrup Tshogpa (DNT) on Tuesday lodged three complaints with the Election Commission of Bhutan against the Druk Phuensum Tshogpa (DPT).
The first complaint is against an alleged WeChat voice message by a DPT coordinator from Dramedtse-Ngatshang Constituency in Monggar.
The DNT has accused him of allegedly saying in a WeChat group that China would intervene in Bhutan’s internal peace and policy matters if DPT loses the election, according to a Bhutan Broadcasting Service report.
He is also accused to have claimed the recent stand-off at Doklam was settled only after the former DPT president intervened.
“This is a matter of grave concern for us at DNT in view of the use of foreign relations, geopolitics and circulating fabricated information with regard to another nation to further political mileage and gain votes,” a news release from DNT stated.
The DPT coordinator’s act, DNT says, contravenes section 4.4 of ECB’s Social Media Rules and Regulations.
The second complaint is again with regard to a WeChat conversation, this time involving two truck drivers in Pema Gatshel.
“The truckers, who are evidently DPT supporters, have tailgated DNT president’s car while travelling to Pema Gatshel with the intention of throwing him and his colleagues off Melong brak (cliff),” Phurba, the General Secretary of DNT, stated in the complaint letter.
The incident reportedly happened on October 4.
The third complaint is against Ugyen Wangdi, DPT’s candidate from Dramedtse_Ngatshang constituency in Monggar.
Ugyen Wangdi is accused of having sent a voice message in a WeChat group, asking people from his constituency residing in Wangdue Phodrang to vote from facilitation booths in Thimphu by claiming to be employed in the capital.
He has also allegedly helped the voters with registration for the postal ballot and facilitation booth services. This, DNT has said, is a violation of the electoral laws and undermines the principle of free and fair election.