Country: | Bhutan |
Bhutan Peoples' Party | |
Colorcode: |
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Leader: | Balaram Poudyal |
Leader1 Title: | Vice Chairman |
Leader1 Name: | Durga Giri |
Spokesperson: | Gopal Gurung |
Ideology: | Democratic socialism Lhotshampa interests |
Position: | Centre-left to left-wing |
Headquarters: | Kathmandu, Nepal |
Website: | www.bpparty.org |
The Bhutan Peoples' Party is a democratic socialist political party, currently working in exile in Nepal. Founded on 2 June 1990 in West Bengal,[1] it was the pioneer political party in Bhutan. The Bhutan Peoples' Party was founded to represent the Nepali citizens of Bhutan, who felt discriminated against by the Bhutanese monarchy and under-represented in the institutions of the country.[1]
The Bhutan Peoples' Party was involved in the organization of mass protest rallies in the south of the country in September and October 1990 in peaceful rallies; the party was declared illegal by the absolute monarch and banned from the country along with other parties formed during the same period.[1] [2]
On September 9, 2001, party founder and first leader R.K. Budathoki was assassinated in a small town called Damak that lies in Jhapa district of eastern Nepal and a few miles away from Beldangi refugee camps.[1]
Still in exile in Nepal, the Bhutan Peoples' Party asked to be registered as a political party when the Bhutanese government first introduced a multiparty system.[1] This request was turned down by the Bhutanese Election Commission in January 2008, and the party was prevented from competing in Bhutan's first ever elections in March 2008.[1] Indeed, only two "loyal" (pro-monarchy) parties were allowed to compete.[1]