Myanmar’s ruling party concedes defeat in parliamentary polls

The acting chairman of Myanmar’s ruling Union Solidarity Development Party (USDP) has conceded defeat in parliamentary elections to opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy (NLD).

In an interview with Reuters on Monday, Htay Oo said he accepts the results of the country’s first free national elections in 25 years.

“We lost,” Oo said, adding that he did not expect to be defeated “because we were able to do a lot for the people in this region.”

“However, we do accept the results without any reservations,” he said. “Anyway, it’s the decision of the people.”

Although final results have not yet been officially announced, preliminary reports show a wide margin of victory for the opposition.

NLD spokesman Win Htein said the opposition party has won more than 80 percent of the votes counted so far in the country’s central regions.