Suu Kyi party wins 15 of 16 seats in first Myanmar poll results

Aung San Suu Kyi's pro-democracy party hoovered up nearly all of the first batch of seats to be declared from Myanmar's election, as the opposition eyed massive gains to carry it to power after decades of military dominance.

The National League for Democracy's hopes of a decisive victory surged on Monday afternoon after poll authorities handed it 15 of the first 16 seats to be counted in Yangon.

Earlier party spokesman Win Htein told AFP that unofficial tallies showed the opposition was "on track to win more than 70 percent of seats around the country."

He did not specify if the percentage would translate into power under Myanmar's complex political system.

The NLD needs 67 percent of available parliamentary seats to enjoy a majority. 

That would be enough to overwhelm the USDP and their military allies -- who are gifted 25 percent of seats by a constitution scripted to ensure they still have a major stake in the future.

The army-backed USDP, or Union Solidarity and Development Party, said it was ready for a wipeout in the commercial capital Yangon, while several of its heavyweights -- including its chairman -- lost their seats. 

But the NLD shied away from an outright declaration of victory, with election authorities expected to release results in several waves deep into Monday night.

Suu Kyi, who is still barred from the presidency under the army-drafted constitution, remained cautious, but hinted at victory.

"It is not the time to congratulate our candidates who we think have won the election," she told supporters and journalists from the balcony of her party's Yangon headquarters.

But "people have an idea of the result even if I don't say it," she added.

Election authorities have said that preliminary figures would be released within 48 hours of Sunday’s vote, and a full nationwide count in 10 days or so.

Caption : Suu Kyi... historic victory