Multi-party general election begins in Myanmar

According to the new state constitution adopted in 2008, election will be made on union parliament and region or state parliament.

As a follow-up, the union parliament will elect president and vice presidents and then form a new government.

For the whole country, the Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP), led by Prime Minister U Thein Sein and involving 26 other senior government officials, has fielded 1,112 candidates to contest for about 1,160 parliamentary seats.

The USDP, claimed as having a membership of 16 to 18 million, became a political party transformed from the government-backed biggest social organization -- the Union Solidarity and Development Association (USDA) established in 1993.

Quitting their military titles and representing the USDP to contest for the parliamentary house of representatives election, No. 3 state leader Thura U Shwe Mann, who is member of the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) and Chief of General Staff of the Army, Navy and Air Force, contests in Nay Pyi Taw's No. 8 constituency -- Zeyathiri township, No. 4 leader Prime Minister U Thein Sein in Zabuthiri township, No. 5 leader SPDC First Secretary Thiha Thura U Tin Aung Myint Oo in Popathiri township as well as USDA Secretary-General and Minister of Agriculture and Irrigation U Htay Oo in Ayeyawaddy region's Hindata township.

In eight townships of Nay Pyi Taw district, the USDA mainly challenges with the National Unity Party (NUP).

Contesting in Yangon region for house of representatives election, the 149 USDP candidates mainly include Minister of National Planning and Economic Development U Soe Tha in Twantay township, Energy Minister U Lun Thi in Kungyangon township, Yangon Mayor U Aung Thein Lin in South Okkalapa township.