Suu Kyi party renegades receive permit to contest this year's polls

Yangon: A new party formed by renegade members of detained opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi's disbanded party has received a permit to participate in Myanmar's first elections in two decades, state media reported on Saturday.

The National Democratic Force will join 37 other new political parties and five existing groups in contesting the elections later this year, the state-run Myanma Ahlin newspaper reported.

Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy won Myanmar's last elections in 1990 by a landslide, but the military government has refused to hand over power.

Under heavy international pressure, the junta has announced new elections will be held later this year on a still-unspecified date.

Eyewash

Critics dismiss the elections as a sham designed to cement nearly 50 years of military rule.

New election laws prevent Suu Kyi and other political prisoners from participating in the polls, and her party decided to boycott the balloting. It was automatically disbanded for failing to register for the polls by a May 6 deadline as a result. There is no registration deadline for new political parties.

Suu Kyi has expressed dissatisfaction over the formation of the new breakaway party. Members of her disbanded party have accused the National Democratic Force of stealing their party symbol.