▁the ▁election ▁was ▁not ▁recognized ▁by ▁the ▁military ▁and ▁void ed . ▁ ▁The ▁party ' s ▁first ▁chairman ▁was ▁Tun ▁Y i , ▁a ▁former ▁deput y ▁commander ▁of ▁the ▁armed ▁forces , ▁and ▁their ▁first ▁general ▁secretary ▁was ▁U ▁Th an ▁T in . ▁Tun ▁Y i ▁was ▁succeeded ▁by ▁U ▁Th an ▁T in ▁after ▁his ▁death ▁in ▁April ▁ 2 0 1 4 . ▁ ▁Despite ▁playing ▁a ▁minor ▁role ▁in ▁Bur m ese ▁politics ▁after ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 0 ▁general ▁election , ▁the ▁party ▁maintained ▁close ▁t ies ▁with ▁the ▁military ▁jun ta ▁until ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 1 – 2 0 1 2 ▁political ▁re forms ; ▁consisting ▁mainly ▁of ▁former ▁Ne ▁Win ▁loyal ists , ▁former ▁B SP P ▁members , ▁and ▁top ▁military ▁command ers ▁up ▁until ▁that ▁point . ▁ ▁It ▁cont ested ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 0 ▁elections ▁as ▁the ▁main ▁ch allen ger ▁of ▁the ▁Union ▁Sol id ar ity ▁and ▁Development ▁Party ▁( US DP ), ▁the ▁de ▁fact o ▁pro - reg ime ▁party , ▁since ▁N UP ▁had ▁nominated ▁ 9 9 9 ▁parliament ary ▁candidates ▁nation wide ▁( cont est ing ▁at ▁both ▁regional ▁and ▁national ▁levels ), ▁second ▁only ▁to ▁the ▁ 1 , 1 0 0 ▁candidates ▁nominated ▁by ▁the ▁US DP . ▁It ▁has ▁joined ▁with ▁opposition ▁parties ▁in ▁accus ations ▁of ▁vote ▁rig ging ▁after ▁suffering ▁a ▁massive ▁defeat ▁in ▁the ▁elections ▁at ▁the ▁hands ▁of ▁the ▁US DP .