It was founded by regional and national cadres (chimi and Royal Advisory Councilors) serving in Bhutan's pre-democratic government.
[1] Led by former minister (assemblyman) Yeshey Zimba, BPUP then merged with the stronger All People's Party (APP), headed by former and future prime minister Jigme Y. Thinley; the two parties unified as the Druk Phuensum Tshogpa on 25 July 2007.
Amid allegations that over 75% of the BPUP's membership consisted of school dropouts, the Election Commission found the party lacked "credible leadership of the calibre that is needed to run and manage the affairs of the nation or even the management of the group itself,"[2][11] and that it lacked "the capacity to fulfill ... national aspirations, visions, and goals.
"[6] The elimination of the BPUP reduced the anticipated two-stage electoral process into a single-election contest.
[11] The BPUP again merged with the Bhutan Peace and Prosperity Party after the Election Commission prevented it from registering under the new constitutional framework.