Myanmar's ruling party is led by former members of a military junta, evolved from an organization that democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi once compared to a Nazi militia, and took office through electoral fraud.

This dubious history does not seem to faze the Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP), as it prepares for a historic election likely to be held in November.

Nor does the popularity of its bitter rival, Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD), which is expected to thump the USDP at the polls.