Sittwe: A winner of 35 seats in Arakan in the 7 November election, the Rakhine Nationalities Development Party (RNDP) is preparing to open branch offices in four townships in Arakan State after being urged to do so by local residents, said Dr. Aye Maung, Chairman of the party.

Dr. Aye Maung said, "We will open a branch office in Maungdaw on 13 December to promote our political activities there. We have plans to open other branch offices in Ann, Taungup, and Gwa Township in the very near future. Local residents urged us to open offices in their towns."

The RNDP was unable to open branch offices in those four townships during the election due to a lack of time and finances. Because of these constraints, the RNDP gave up posting candidates in those four constituencies.

In the election, the government-backed proxy party, USDP, easily won all seats in those four townships as the RNDP failed to contest there.

"The number of party members in those townships are increasing by the day after the election. At the same time, people are interested in our party as well as politics. We have a responsibility to fulfill the people's aspirations. So we decided to open branches in the four townships," Dr. Aye Maung said.

The decision to open branch offices in the four townships was approved at the RNDP central meeting that was held on 1 and 2 December.

However, the RNDP is still facing financial difficulties because the election commission has imposed many restrictions on political party fundraising, said a source close the RNDP.

Many sympathizers of the RNDP are afraid to donate funds to the party because of strict Election Commission rules. The Election Commission requires that all political parties track who has donated, and where and how they have gotten funds for party activities.