Members of the National League For Democracy party erect a billboard with images of the party's top leaders and candidates, including Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi, during the first day of the election campaigning period in Naypyitaw, Myanmar on Sept 8, 2020. Myanmar holds a general election on Nov 8 and began a sixty-day election campaign period Tuesday, which may be disrupted due to a resurgence of the coronavirus. (AUNG SHINE OO / AP)

YANGON - Political parties in Myanmar on Tuesday launched a 60-day nationwide campaign for the upcoming general election to be held on Nov 8 this year.

The campaigning style of the political parties this year has become focusing more on online social media platforms, cancelling election rallies under the new normal brought by COVID-19 pandemic

At the party's flag hoisting ceremony, State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi, in her capacity as chair of the National League for Democracy (NLD), shared appreciation words to the public for the supports throughout the journey of the party and pledged to deliver peace, development and prosperity to the state.

The campaigning style of the political parties this year has become focusing more on online social media platforms, cancelling election rallies under the new normal brought by COVID-19 pandemic.

"Campaign rallies have been limited by the pandemic, restricting candidates to go and meet with locals in person in respective constituencies. We have to depend on online platforms for campaigning as we don't have any other option now," Dr. Nandar Hla Myint, spokesperson of the Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) told Xinhua.

A total of 6,969 candidates involving 94 political parties and 280 independent runners will vie for 1,171 seats at three levels of the parliament in the upcoming election, U Myint Naing of the Union Election Commission said at a recent press briefing.

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Of them, 1,934 candidates will compete for the House of Representatives (Lower House), 976 candidates for the House of Nationalities (Upper House), 3,847 candidates for state or region parliaments and 212 candidates for ethnic minority in state or region parliament, respectively.

State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi will represent Kawhmu township constituency while President U Win Myint will represent Tamwe township constituency of Yangon region.

Of the registered political parties, the ruling NLD party and USDP will field over 1,100 candidates each.

Over 37 million people are eligible to vote in the election.

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In the last general election on Nov 8, 2015, the ruling NLD party won an absolute majority of parliamentary seats and has run the government since 2016.