Two of Burma’s ethnic political parties: the Shan National Democratic Party (SNDP) and Taang (Palaung) National Party (TNP) are planning to contest at all legislative levels of Shan State, sources close to the party leadership said.

The SNDP will contest in 40 townships throughout Shan State and intends to have candidates in all houses: upper, lower and state/regional legislature, according to party Chairman Sai Ai Pao.

http://www.shanland.org//files/images/stories/sai%20ai%20pao.jpgSai Ai Pao, photo: Myanmar Times

“We will contest in all legislative in Shan State,” he told SHAN.  “However I cannot confirm what the party’s plans will be for the rest of the country”, he continued, adding that any further statements to this effect would be made officially through the party spokesperson.  S.H.A.N attempted to contact the spokesperson but at the time of writing had not managed to obtain the correct contact details.     

Similarly, the TNP, said to be planning to contest in six townships respectively across Shan State in the forthcoming general elections, will also be contesting in three houses, according to Mai Phone Kyaw, Secretary of the exile-based Palaung State Liberation Front (PSLF).

The party expects to field its candidates in townships where there are significant Palaung population such as Mantong, Namhsan, Kutkhai, Namtu, Lashio and Namkham, Mai Phone Kyaw said.

Moreover, the party has reportedly begun canvassing support in other areas, namely Mongmit and Mongkut (Mogok), but is yet to decide whether it will commit to contesting in those regions.

The Political Parties Registration Law prescribes that any party contesting for parliamentary seats in the whole Union, shall have to enlist at least 1,000 members with the commission within 90 days from the day it is allowed to register as a political party. On the other hand, if it is a party contesting for seats in only one region / state, it shall enlist at least 500 members within 90 days.  If a political party is unable to submit the prescribed number of party members to the commission, its registration shall be cancelled and that party shall be abolished.

According to the constitution drafted by the junta in 2008, there will be five ballot boxes in each polling station: one for upper house, one for lower house, two for state/region legislature and another one for minority candidates representing communities with at least 0.1 per cent of the total population.

There are so far 14 political parties that will contest in the whole of Shan State, North, East and South: Kayan National Party (KNP), Shan National Democratic Party (SNDP), Taang (Palaung) National Party (PNP), Wa National Unity Party (WNUP), Wa Democratic Party (WDP), Northern Shan State Progressive Party (NSSPP), Kokang Democracy and Unity Party (KDUP), Pa-O National Organization (PNO), Inn National Development Party (INDP), Lahu National Development Party (LNDP), Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) and National Unity Party (NUP), National Democratic Froce (NDF), Union Democracy Party (UDP) and Union of Myanmar Federation of National Politics (UMFNP).