An overwhelming National League for Democracy win in the election that enables it to form government will kill off dictatorship, the party’s patron told supporters in Mandalay.

U Tin Oo, who also leads the party’s central campaign committee, also promised that an NLD government would relinquish power if the people no longer support it.

“Dictatorship is deeply rooted in Myanmar. The NLD needs to win the election in order to end that system. If the NLD wins the election to the extent that it can form the government, [dictatorship] will die. We won’t use that system because we have been oppressed by it,” said U Tin Oo.

A former minister for defence in the Ne Win government, U Tin Oo co-founded the NLD in 1988 and subsequently spent around a decade in prison or under house arrest.

He made the comments during a ceremony on September 30 to introduce the party’s candidates for Mandalay district held at the speaker’s corner in Manaw Raman Park.

He said the party was satisfied with its candidates and that they could meet the expectations of the public, adding that he was heartened by the large turnout to the event.

“It is obvious that people love Amay Suu [Daw Aung San Suu Kyi] because enough people have come to welcome me to fill this whole park,” he said.

Ko Tun Kyaw, who attended the ceremony, said residents of Mandalay would vote for the NLD and suggested any other result than an NLD win would “disgrace” the city.

“We will vote NLD. My vote is for Amay Suu,” he said.

Following the rally, U Tin Oo, acting on the advice of senior monks in Mandalay, attended a meeting with U Wirathu, a leading member of the nationalist Ma Ba Tha organisation, at Kantetkone monastery.

Translation by Thiri Min Htun