On October 17th, the Union Election Commission (UEC) announced the dissolution of the United Democratic Party (UDP) for breaching the political party registration law. In addition, the UEC noted the UDP leader was financially supporting the party with money illegally transferred from China, a violation of Article 6(f) of the election law.
On 18 October, former UDP party organizers, officials and previously elected UDP Hluttaw representatives approached the Union Solidarity and Development Party (USPD) to seek their support by accepting former UDP members.
“They come to discuss cooperation and help us. When they came to know our policies, they [wanted to] work with us for the benefit of the people,” said U Thein Zaw, the USDP official in Thaton Township.
U Ko Ko Oo, Thaton Township’s former UDP Chair, affirmed that most of the UDP and USDP policies are the same. “I think that they are good so we besiege them, and we also have the same policies,” said U Ko Ko Oo.
Before the United Democratic Party ( UDP) was dissolved in Thaton Township , there were about 5,400 party members from 54 villages, reported U Ko Ko Oo.
Following their dissolution, the UDP in Mon State called on its members to vote for parties other than the NLD.
On October 25, Executive members and former UDP candidates in Mudon Township applied to join the USDP. Similar steps have been taken by former UDP members in Karen State, the Irrawaddy Region and other regions.
Approximately 20,000 United Democratic Party (UDP) across the country have now joined the Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP).
