USDP ally blames uninformed, apathetic electorate for 2020 defeat

By Khin Tharaphy Oo 26 Nov 2020

Khin Tharaphy Oo | DMG
26 November 2020, Sittwe 

The chairman of the Democratic Party of National Politics (DPNP), a partner of the Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP), blamed this month’s landslide election victory for the ruling National League for Democracy (NLD) on low political awareness among the Myanmar people. 

U Soe Maung, a former general turned politician and DPNP chairman, made the remarks at a press conference held by the USDP and its allies on November 26. 

“To be honest, Myanmar people are forgetting the new path to democracy. As long as there are many people who don’t understand politics and are not interested ... we will work to solve it gradually,” he said. 

U Soe Maung was a union minister for the President’s Office under former President Thein Sein’s administration. 

The NLD won the largest number of seats nationwide in the November 8 general election, while the USDP, which is widely viewed as the proxy of the Myanmar military, won only 71 constituencies across the country. 

U Khin Yi, vice chairman of the USDP, said the government should listen to the people, as millions of people, not just political parties, were among those dissatisfied with the election. 

“It is not just our political parties that are dissatisfied with the election results. There are millions of people who support us. The government should listen to the voices of millions of people and political parties,” he said. 

Nineteen political parties, including the USDP, sent an open letter to President U Win Myint on November 24 requesting that the Union Election Commission investigate the elections under the authority of the President. 

At a press conference on November 11, the Union Election Commission said claims that the 2020 general election was not fair were unfounded.