Tshering Tobgay
A view of the birthday celebration programmet of Tshering Tobgay at Thimpu on Wednesday. Image - Twitter

Tshering Tobgay, former Prime Minister of Bhutan, celebrated his birthday among thousands of people at Thimphu, the national capital of Bhutan, on Wednesday.

Tobgay turned 53 years on Wednesday.

Tshering Tobgay, the president of People’s Democratic Party (PDP), was ousted as the Bhutan PM in the first round of the country’s parliamentary election on September 15, 2018, in his Twitter handle on Tuesday night tweeted:  “Celebrating my birthday quietly, among thousands at Thimphu’s annual tsechu.”

It may be mentioned that in a major upset verdict in the first round of polls in Bhutan, Tobgay’s PDP was ousted from the race, and will not run in the second and final round next month, The Hindu reported.

Instead, the Druk Nyamrup Tshogpa (DNT) headed by Dr Lotay Tshering, and the Druk Phuensum Tshogpa (DPT) will face off on October 18. The DNT won the highest number of votes.

Reacting to the defeat of his party in the first round of the parliamentary polls, Tobgay had tweeted on September 15, 2018: “I congratulate DNT and DPT and their candidates for their outstanding performance in the primary round of Bhutan’s third parliamentary election. Congratulations also to President of BKP and their candidates for taking part in this important election.”

Tobgay who was the Prime Minister of Bhutan from July 2013 to August 2018, was the Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly from March 2008 to April 2013.

He was born on September 19, 1965 at Haa district of Bhutan.

Reacting to the shock verdict, outgoing PM Tobgay said the people of Bhutan had “spoken”.

“The People’s Democratic Party graciously accepts their decision. The will of the people must prevail in a democracy,” the newspaper quoted PM Tobgay as saying.

Tobgay, who is a Harvard educated leader, managed to develop good relations between India and Bhutan, including during last year’s tense Doklam standoff with China.