Sittwe: An Arakanese political party, the Rakhine Nationalities Development Party, has opened branch offices in several townships in Arakan State as part of its election campaign, after the Election Commission approved its formation, said a party leader.

"We opened another branch office for Sittwe Township on Saturday to carry out the party's work soon after the central office was opened in Sittwe, the capital of Arakan State," he said.

The party's central office was opened in Lanmadaw Taung Ward in Sittwe on June 11.

The party also selected two retired government officers - U Tha Lu Chay and Ko Aung Mra Kyaw - to lead the township committee in Sittwe as president and general secretary.

"Many people including politicians, businessmen, and retired government officers attended the inaugural ceremony of the office and this showed the potential of the party is good," he said.

The party also recently opened several branch offices in Arakan State, including offices in Mrauk U, Ponna Kyunt, Rathidaung, May Bon, and Taungup.

On June 20, the party formed an organizing committee for Rangoon Division with 20 members, to mobilize support for the forthcoming election.

The party is led by some senior Arakanese politicians and former student leaders, who were involved in the 1974 student movement in Burma. The party is reportedly gaining support of Arakanese people.

In Arakan State, the Union Solidarity Development Party (USDP) has been on an organizational spree on a large scale to garner votes in the election. The Rakhine Nationalities Development Party is behind the USDP in their new election campaign.