Kayah State Democratic Party (KySDP) will be the main challenger to the ruling National League for Democracy (NLD) in the 2020 General Election scheduled for November 8, said its chair U Phoe Yal.

The KySDP based in Kayah State will compete in 30 of 34 constituencies in seven townships of Kayah State—11 constituencies for the upper house, seven for the lower house, 12 for the Kayah State parliament and one for Bamar Ethnic Affairs Minister.

KySDP’s main policy is the emergence of a federal democracy system. Its election motto is “Let’s vote Golden Frog Drum to create a federal system.”

The party becomes strong thanks to the support of local CSOs, social organizations, young activists and Karenni ethnic youths. The party believes we can compete with the ruling National League for Democracy (NLD) in Kayah State.

The local-based parties—the All Nationalities Democracy Party (ANDP), the KPDP and the Kayan National Party (KNP)—secured no seat in the 2015 General Election. In 2015, the KySDP was set up by a merger of the ANDP and the KNDP. The KySDP makes an alliance with the Karenni National Party. The KySDP plans to compete in the separate constituencies in the 2020 General Election.

The party’s chair promised that it will deal with the land disputes, the amendment to the 2012 Farmland Law, women’s affairs, youth’s affairs, social sector, peace as well as increasing checks and balances on the State government

It is not easy for the party to win seven townships in Kayah State. The NLD is strong in Loikaw Township and the USDP has support in Bawlawkhae Township.

In the 2015 General Election, the NLD secured 26 seats and the USDP, seven seats.

U Phoe Yal admits the party faces some difficulties in canvassing during the COVID-19 period and suffers from a shortage of funds.