Khit/ Myo Gyi (NP News) – Mar 2

One of the Shan ethnic renowned parties, formerly known as #SNDP (Shan Nationalities Democratic Party), submitted application at the Union Election Commission (UEC) for establishment of new party named ‘Shan and Ethnic Groups Democratic Party’ in recent days, as per information.

Newly organized Shan and Ethnic Groups Democratic Party is projected to run in the upcoming election at the Union level, Chairman Sai Ai Pao confirmed NP News.

“It is a union level party. We changed the name too as Shan and Ethnic Groups Democratic Party. We welcome any ethnic who wants to join our party. We already have over 100,000 party members. So, there’s not anything special,” Sai Ai Pao said.

Founded in 2010, the former SNDP contested in the 2015 General Election with 207 candidates; but won for only one seat. There are 5.8m population in Shan State as of 2014 National Census.

The newly organized Shan and Ethnic Groups Democratic Party aims to be a powerful political party in the Myanmar politics, as the Chairman Sai Ai Pao said: “This Union is built by Shan Saopha and Shan leaders together with General Aung San under Panglong Agreement. However, the people haven’t get peaceful life though it has been 75 years of the country independence. It hasn’t yet developed. We intend to help together with all ethnics and Bamar people to get the Union peaceful and developed.”