The MPs are Sai Thurein Oo, MP for Nam Zarng, and Sai Kyaw Zeya, MP for Laikha, who announced on Tuesday 2nd December that they had quit the SNDP, colloquially known as White Tiger Party to join the Shan National League for Democracy or Tiger Head Party.

Sai Thurein Oo, the MP for Nam Zarng said: “I decided to quit as an MP for the SNDP due to the wishes of the committee team and members of the party in Nam Zarng. Therefore, I submitted a resignation letter to the party. Many SNDP members in Nam Zarng Township have quit the party and switched to the SNLD."

It has been reported that many MPs and members of the SNDP in the townships of Mong Kurng, Kesi, Mong Su, Kyawkme, Lashio, Panglong, and Sisang have switched to the SNLD party.

SNDP leader Sai Aik Pao said: “We have over 300,000 members in the SNDP which include every nationality. Therefore, the resignation of the MPs does not have any effect on the party. They made the decision to resign from the party because their names were not on the MP candidate list for the 2015 general election. We also cannot force them to stay. The election is also scheduled to be held soon.”

The SNDP party won 57 seats in Parliament in the 2010 general elections, and one more seat in the 2012 by-elections.

Pressure has been mounting for the two Shan political parties to merge. Due to policy differences between the two parties they have been unable to negotiate an agreement and the two parties will not merge before the 2015 general election.