Topic Of The Day:-“The Bhutan Vote”
As The Country Prepares For The Second Round Of Elections, Change Is Certain
The results of Bhutan’s general election will have significant repercussions for South Asia. The first round held in September has already delivered a surprise verdict, with the ousting of the incumbent People’s Democratic Party. The two parties left in the fray represent opposites in terms of their experience. The Druk Nyamrup Tshogpa, that won the maximum number of votes in the first round this year, is a political neophyte. The Druk Phuensum Tshogpa, on the other hand, won the first Bhutanese elections in 2008, and the first round of the election in 2013 before losing to the PDP. It maintains a strong traditional base. The first round of the results also threw up some glaring trends. While the ordinary voter who queued up to vote at the polling booths favoured the PDP, ultimately the postal ballots, used by government officials and their families as well as military personnel, swung the vote in the other direction. Another outcome, which may be disquieting for whichever party comes to power, is that votes in the first round of elections were polarised between more prosperous Western Bhutan and less developed Eastern Bhutan. The DPT, for example, won all but one constituency in the east, while winning only two in the west; the DNT and PDP won seats only in the western half. The vertical split doesn’t just denote a development divide, it points to a feeling of discontent in a country generally known as a whole for its Gross National Happiness quotient.
Regardless of which party wins on Thursday, India-Bhutan ties are expected to be accorded their customary priority by New Delhi and Thimphu, given that Bhutan’s monarch, Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, retains a considerable influence over the nation’s foreign policy. Along with his father, and predecessor as king, he has consistently stressed his commitment to the bilateral relationship. However, India must note that while the DNT has made “narrowing the gap” its motto, the DPT, which lost elections in 2013 after India suddenly pulled fuel subsidies for Bhutan, has campaigned on the slogan of “sovereignty and self-sufficiency”. The ‘China factor’ will be closely watched for its impact, a year after the India-China standoff on the Bhutanese Doklam plateau. This year marks the 50th anniversary of formal relations between India and Bhutan, built on cultural ties, mutual strategic interests, and India’s role in building roads and assisting in hydropower projects that became the mainstay of the Bhutanese economy. It is expected that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will lose no time in visiting Bhutan to consolidate the relationship once the new Prime Minister is in the saddle.
MEANINGS AND WORDS
1) Repercussions
Meaning: An unintended consequence of an event or action, especially an unwelcome one.
Synonyms: Consequence, result, effect
Antonyms: Cause
Example: “The move would have grave repercussions for the entire region”
2) Verdict
Meaning: An opinion or judgment.
Synonyms: Judgement, adjudication, judgment
Antonyms: Accusation
Example: “This seems a fair verdict on the tabloids”
3) Ousting
Meaning: Drive out or expel (someone) from a position or place.
Synonyms: Drive out, expel, force out, throw out
Antonyms: Take in, Give, Keep
Example: “The reformists were ousted from power”
4) Incumbent (adj)
Meaning: (of an official or regime) Currently holding office.
Synonyms: Current, existing, present
Antonyms: Previous
Example: “The incumbent President was defeated”
5) Fray
Meaning: A situation of intense competitive activity.
Synonyms: Battle, engagement, conflict
Antonyms: Peace, Calm, Accord
Example: “Ten companies intend to bid for the contract, with three more expected to enter the fray”
6) Neophyte
Meaning: A person who is new to a subject or activity.
Synonyms: Beginner, learner, novice
Antonyms: Expert & Professional
Example: “Four-day cooking classes are offered to neophytes and experts”
7) Threw Up
Meaning: To give up; abandon, relinquish
Synonyms: Bring Up, Disgorge
Antonyms: Destroy, Raze
8) Swung
Meaning: Have a decisive influence on (something, especially a vote or election).
Synonyms: Change, fluctuate, oscillate
Antonyms: Stay, Be Still, Straighten
Example: “An attempt to swing the vote in their favor”
9) Polarize
Meaning: Divide or cause to divide into two sharply contrasting groups or sets of opinions or beliefs.
Synonyms: Separate, Demarcate
Antonyms: Combine, Join & Merge
Example: “The cultural sphere has polarized into two competing ideological positions”
10) Denote
Meaning: Be a sign of; indicate.
Synonyms: Designate, indicate
Antonyms: Conceal, Disprove, Ignore
Example: “This mark denotes purity and quality”
11) Discontent
Meaning: Dissatisfaction with one’s circumstances; lack of contentment.
Synonyms: Dissatisfaction, disaffection
Antonyms: Calm, Happiness, Satisfaction
Example: “Voters voiced discontent with both parties”
12) Accord
Meaning: Give or grant someone (power, status, or recognition).
Synonyms: Give, grant, tender, present
Antonyms: Discord, Disagreement
Example: “The powers accorded to the head of state”
13) Priority
Meaning: The fact or condition of being regarded or treated as more important than others.
Synonyms: Prime concern, first concern, the most important consideration
Antonyms: Last, Inferiority
Example: “The safety of the country takes priority over any other matter”
14) Monarch
Meaning: A sovereign head of state, especially a king, queen, or emperor.
Synonyms: Sovereign, ruler, Crown
Example: “The reigning monarch”
15) Predecessor
Meaning: A person who holds a job or office before the current holder.
Synonyms: Former/previous holder of the post, forerunner
Antonyms: Derivative, Successor
Example: “The new President’s foreign policy is very similar to that of his predecessor”
16) Consistently
Meaning: In every case or on every occasion; invariably.
Synonyms: Always, Constantly, Normally
Antonyms: Never
Example: “The vehicle consistently outperforms some of the best competitors”
17) Subsidy
Meaning: a sum of money granted by the state or a public body to help an industry or business keep the price of a commodity or service low.
Synonyms: Grant, allowance, endowment
Antonyms: Forfeit, Hindrance, injury
Example: “a farm subsidy”
18) Impact
Meaning: The action of one object coming forcibly into contact with another.
Synonyms: Collision, crash, smash
Antonyms: Avoidance, Failure, Loss
Example: “There was the sound of a third impact”
19) Stand-Off
Meaning: A deadlock between two equally matched opponents in a dispute or conflict.
Synonyms: Deadlock, stalemate, impasse
Antonyms: Agreement, Breakthrough
Example: “The 16-day-old stand-off was no closer to being resolved”
20) Consolidate
Meaning: Make (something) physically stronger or more solid.
Synonyms: Strengthen, make stronger, make secure
Antonyms: Decrease, Discourage
Example: “The company consolidated its position in the international market”
21) Saddle
Meaning: A shaped support on which a cable, wire, or pipe rests.
Example: “Follow the road which goes across the saddle between two tors”