It was not expected that the ruling National League for Democracy (NLD) would secure such a landslide victory in Chin State. Rather stiff competition was widely predicted between the ruling National League for Democracy (NLD) and the Chin National League for Democracy (CNLD).
However, the NLD again won the election by a landslide in Chin State in the 2020 General Election. In 2015 the CNLD stood by itself in competition with the Chin National Democratic Party (CNDP), the Chin League for Democracy (CLD) and the Chin Progressive Party (CPP).
Taking the lessons from the 2015 General Elections, the CNLD sealed a merger with the CNDP, the CLD and the CPP in 2018, in line with the desires of the Chin people.
In the 2020 General Elections, the CNLD became the main challenger to the ruling NLD. The CNLD was expected to secure around half of all constituencies in Chin State. But the CNLD secured only one seat in Chin State. Many people including CNLD leaders were surprised.
Salai Pi Pi, Secretary of the CNLD said: “The party was expected to secure at least 11 seats. We are surprised that our party won only one seat. We need to thoroughly review it. Looking at it from outside Chin State, Daw Suu (Daw Aung San Suu Kyi) overwhelmed the whole country.
Another point is the weak qualifications of our candidates. In my view, the CNLD is not strong in the eyes of the people.”
The CNLD competed in 57 constituencies in the 2020 General Election—37 in Chin State and 20 in Magway Region, Sagaing Region and Arakan State. There are 39 constituencies in Chin State—nine for lower house, 12 for upper house and 18 for State parliament. The NLD secured 36 seats and the Zomi Congress for Democracy (ZCD), two seats and the CNLD, one seat.
“As the CNLD was only formed in 2018, the party lacked sufficient time for preparations. COVID-19 related restrictions on the courses and meetings are one of the reasons for losing the election. The party had many strategies and many plans for training courses,” Salai Pi Pi added.
The CNLD was formed on September 29, 2018. The party applied to the UEC in October 2018 and got the green-light only in July 2019.
Ko Mang Om, a political analyst from Third Eye said: “Citizens lack any deep understanding of politics and development. My understanding is that people do not care about political equality. They are thirsty for development, as Chin State has lagged behind in the development for more than 70 years. They want roads, buildings, bridges, etc. These are the tangible signs of infrastructure development, and so that is why the NLD campaign on regional development really works.”
He added “The party needs to have far more interaction with Chin people. The party’s leaders need to have frequent workshops and forums, in order to have contact with the public. I don’t want the candidates to stay in Yangon and other places. I want them to stay with the people, and help solve the political problems”
Political analyst Salai Van Cung Lian, Director of Chin Bridge Institute said: “The candidates from the CNLD faced losses in the 2020 General Elections due to the big difference in the image between the candidates of the NLD and the CNLD. For instance, in Htantalan, the image of U Ban Hmone Hlyan and Vice-President U Henry Van Thio. Most candidates from the NLD are sitting ministers, legal officers and principals. Some people may dislike them. But their position gives them high status in the villages.
The CNLD candidates are not competitive with those from the NLD. In addition, the NLD election campaign strategy is far more effective than those of other parties. This is one of the NLD’s advantages in winning the election,”
“Since the 1990 General Elections, the NLD has been using the majority of town-elders in the election campaigns. Now the NLD again mobilized town-elders in the election campaign in 2020.
Another point is the NLD used respected persons in the election campaigns. For instance, Dr. Sar Sar. But the CNLD mainly used youth in the election campaign. The majority of people do not know the young activists. This is another CNLD weak point.”
The NLD secured all constituencies in seven townships of Chin State, namely, Paletwa, Matupi, Mindat, Kanpetlet, Phalan, Htantalan and Teedim Townships. The NLD secured 36 seats in total including four in Haka Township and two in Tunzan Township.
The ZCD secured the seats for lower house and Chin State Constituency-2 in Tunzan Township. The CNLD secured one seat for Chin State Constituency-2 in Hakha Township.
U Zo Bway, Chair of the NLD in Chin State said: “The NLD’s victory is linked to the fact that the people recognized and supported the NLD’s leaders who have long been engaging in over 20-year-long revolution against the military regime.
To sum up, ethnic parties are required to make far more interaction with residents, increase the participatory role of the public in political dialogues, promote the images of candidates and re-draft the election strategies after a review of advantages and disadvantages in the 2020 General Election. In the near future, the wing beat of hornbill will again be heard in the land of rhododendron.
