The vocal declaration was made by party members from Mindat Township belonging to the Chin National Democratic Party (CNDP), the Chin Progressive Party (CPP), and the Chin League for Democracy (CLD). The comments came after the group of representatives from all three parties met with officials from the Chin Party Cooperation Committee on November 27.

“After the 2010 Election, [we thought] the two Chin parties would merge, but another Chin party the CLD emerged. We want the creation of a single Chin party. If the Chin parties can’t merge, another Chin party may emerge from Mindat town,” said U Shal Aung from the CNDP who attended the meeting.

The CLD’s secretary Salai Pi Pi said the meeting was held learn the public opinion from the grass-

roots level. He added that his party is ready to cooperate with any other Chin party as long as they share the same principle and aims.

According to Sali Pi Pi, Chin parties share 90% s of the same principles. While the CLD desires the emergence of a single Chin party, the party was founded in order for other people to come and cooperate with them after the negotiations failed.

Not everyone appears to agreed with the idea of the meeting taking place. “Their aim was correct, but their method and procedure were wrong. For example, did the three Chin parties agree to give a mandate to this committee? Mandate is authority,” said U Shein Tun, general secretary of CPP.

“U Naing Tun, who is said to have led the meeting, he should have asked for permission from the party’s chairmen before holding the meeting”, he said.

Despite repeated attempts the BNI Election Newsroom was unable to contact the leaders of CNDP about this issue.

The CPP and the Chin National Party (now the CNDP) held negotiations for the merging of the two parties in 2013, but the negotiations were unsuccessful. Another new Chin party, the CLD emerged in 2014.