YANGON – The ruling National League for Democracy (NLD) began its second Party Congress on Saturday, in Yangon’s Myanmar Convention Center, to elect new members of the Central Executive Committee.
State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, who is the party’s chairperson, and President U Win Myint, the No. 1 vice chairman, were not seen at the congress, which is due to run for two days.
U Nyi Pu, the Rakhine State chief minister, presided over the Congress, which is being attended by 1,056 of the total 1200 party delegates from all 14 states and regions.
In his opening speech, U Nyi Pu urged the party representatives “to work harder to win the public trust and public support” as well as to strive to win an upcoming by-election in November and the general election due in 2020.
The NLD’s first party congress was held in March 2013, 25 years after it was founded.
The party’s No. 2 vice chairman, Dr. Zaw Myint Maung, the chief minister of Mandalay Region, submitted the party’s political activities report and outlined future activities, which included backing the NLD government’s policies and to win the by-election and the next national elections.
The delegates of each state and region will vote for new Central Executive Committee members. Party spokesman Monywa Aung Shin didn’t provide any further details about the number of vacancies on the committee. Some CEC members gave up their positions after taking government jobs.
