Let me make it clear from the outset that this is a personal initiative and is not driven by any special interest group. It is the result of reflection and extensive consultation with government officials in Dharamsala, NGOs and community leaders.
In launching this project and urging the community to meet its civic obligation, I mean to accomplish two things:
- To bring about a greater measure of choice, by seeking to expand the range and diversity of candidates running for the office of Kalon Tripa.
- To avoid leaving the selection process until too late, thus averting two possible worst-case scenarios that could result from working within too small an allotment of time:
- That of finding ourselves with no candidates for the office of Kalon Tripa, and having the Tibetan parliament-in-exile requesting His Holiness to appoint the next Prime Minister;
- That of too few and no new nominees taking part in the election contest, thus leaving one of these candidates to virtually become Kalon Tripa by default.
We cannot allow this to happen, and must do everything possible to avoid this outcome.
Read next: Final words
