Sai Ai Pao was re-elected to serve a second term as chairman of the Shan Nationalities Democratic Party (SNDP) on 20 March at the SNDP Annual Meeting in Taunggyi, the Shan State capital.
The 69-year-old Sai Ai Pao won 52 out of 54 votes, which will allow him to lead the party for the next five years.
He said: “Actually, I’m getting very old, I want to retire but so many people still elected me for the position.”
Sai Sawngsi, the current vice chairman was also re-elected for a second term. Sai Phoo Aung was chosen as the party’s general secretary and Sai Aung Myint Kyaing will serve as the party’s deputy secretary.
Nang Wanu, the newly appointed SNDP Taunggyi Township Office secretary, said that the term for the executive committee had already expired and that the meeting was to elect all of the party’s committee members.
Members were also elected to the SNDP's Eastern, Southern, and Northern Shan State Committees and to the Yangon Committee.
The SNDP, also known as the White Tiger Party because of its white tiger logo, was founded in 2010. The party won 57 seats in the 2010 elections and the 2012 bi-elections, but in the 2015 elections it won only one seat, which was in the Shan State Parliament.
The party’s advisors included Saw Than Myint, Sai Htwe Maung, Sai Maung Shwe, Sai Hso Kyaw Nyunt, Nang Than Than Shwe, Sao Yun Peng, Sai Aik Aye, Sai Kyaw Myint, Sai Moe Kyi and Sai Win Kyaing.
The SNDP annual meeting was held on 20-21 March, in Taunggyi Township’s Kokang Temple. Over 300 party members from 54 Townships participated.
Edited in English by Mark Inkey for BNI
