Pema Chewang

Chewang has a B.A. from Sherubtse College and a Master in Development Economics from the Australian National University. He served in various roles as a civil servant, including as Chief Planning Officer in the Gross National Happiness Commission and in 2014 was appointed as Secretary of the National Land Commission.^[3] In 2020 he was awarded the Red Scarf by king Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, conferring on him the title of "Dasho".^[4]

In November 2022, Chewang founded the Bhutan Tendrel Party and was unanimously elected as party president.^[5] BTP was registered as a political party by the Election Commission of Bhutan in January 2023, and put forth candidates for the National Assembly election later that year. Chewang ran as a candidate in the constituency of Kanglung-Samkhar-Udzorong, in the Trashigang District, where he placed first in the primary round, with 49.16% of the vote.^[6] He also won in the general round with 66.91% of the vote.^[7]