Sixteen Karen candidates win polls

Sixteen Karen candidates win polls
by -
Saw Hkar Sunyar

Three Karen political parties have thrown up 16 victorious candidates in their respective constituencies in the election on November 7...

Three Karen political parties have thrown up 16 victorious candidates in their respective constituencies in the election on November 7.

Sixteen candidates from Phalon-Sawaw Democratic Party (PSDP), Karen People’s Party (KPP) and Karen State Development and Democracy Party (KSDDP) won in the election. Nine candidates from the PSDP and five candidates from the KPP won People’s Parliament, National Parliament and State Parliament seats. Two candidates from the KSDDP won seats in the National and State Parliament.

“KSDDP candidate Sai Chit Hlaing won the State Parliament seat from Myawaddy constituency and Manh Aung Tin Myint won the National Parliament seat from Kyar Inn Seik Gyi constituency. Even though Manh Aung Tin Myint did not have a rival in the constituency but Sai Chin Hlaing had rival candidates from the NUP and the USDP in his constituency,” a KSDDP party member, said.

From the PSDP party, Nan Say Awar won in Pa-an and Saw Thein Aung won in Hlaing Bwe constituency for People’s Parliament. Saw Aung Kyaw Naing won in Pa-an constituency 1, Saw Nyein Thin won in Hlaing Bwe constituency 3, Saw Than Tun won in Hlaing Bwe constituency 4 for National Parliament. Saw Kyi Lin won in Pa-an constituency 1, Saw Khin Maung Myint won in Pa-an constituency 2, Saw Min Aung Lin won in Hlaing Bwe constituency 1 and Saw Shar Htunt Phaung won in Hlaing Bwe constituency 2 for State Parliament.

From the KPP, Saw Nay Kaw Gyi won in the Thandaung Gyi constituency in the People’s Parliament; Saw Taw Palae won a seat in National Parliament; Saw Christophar, Saw J. A. Win Myint and Saw Jubilee San Hla won State Parliament seats.

The UEC is yet to announce the final election results.

Among three Karen political parties, the PSDP and KSDDP are based in Karen State but the KPP has its head office in Yangon.

According to Burmese news media, other political parties won 16 per cent of the seats in the election except for the USDP.