The party of Myanmar (Burma) opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi has won the historic general election held over the weekend, and supporters have been urged not to provoke their losing rivals.
The acting chairman of Myanmar's ruling party conceded defeat to Aung San Suu Kyi's opposition and said he would accept the result of the country's first free national election in 25 years.
"We lost," Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) leader Htay Oo told Reuters in an interview.
In her first comments after yesterday's polling, Suu Kyi told a crowd gathered at the National League for Democracy party that the results would not be announced soon, "but I think you all have the idea of the results".
"It is still a bit early to congratulate our candidates who will be the winners," she said. "I want to remind you all that even candidates who didn't win have to accept the winners but it is important not to provoke the candidates who didn't win to make them feel bad."
Officials across Burma said the Opposition may have won as much as 80% of the vote.
The NLD's road to forming a government remains filled with hurdles even though the country will move a step closer to greater democracy.
"Dawn of a new era. Millions vote in historic election" was the headline of the New Light of Myanmar, a government-owned newspaper,reflecting how much Burma has changed since the military gave up its half-century rule in 2011.
Yesterday's vote was billed as the freest in the south-east Asian nation, which has been run by a quasi-civilian government for the last five years in a scripted transition towards democracy.
Many of the eligible 30 million voters cast ballots for the first time, including Oxford-educated Ms Suu Kyi, 70, the epitome of the democracy movement.
Although 91 parties took part, the main fight was between the NLD and the ruling Union Solidarity Development Party, made up largely of former junta members. A host of other parties from ethnic minorities, who form 40% of Burma's 52 million people, also ran.
"I'm really happy because from what I heard the NLD is winning. I couldn't sleep until 11 or 12 because I was looking everywhere for results," said San Win, a 40-year-old newspaper seller.
"Things will change. If it does Mother Suu will do her best for the country," Tun Khin, another vendor, added, referring to Ms Suu Kyi with the affectionate term that many use.
The former head of the Union Solidarity and Development Party earlier conceded defeat in his constituency, becoming the first prominent casualty to the NLD.
Shwe Mann, who is speaker of the lower house of parliament, announced his defeat in a Facebook post, saying: "Congratulations!" to his opponent from the NLD in their central Burma constituency. He said he went to his opponent's home to convey congratulations in person.
Shwe Mann was seen as a reformer in his party's ranks and deposed as its chief by the majority, more-pro-military faction loyal to President Thein Sein.
His rejection by the voters, despite his reputation as a moderate, could suggest the depth of support for the NLD.
National League for Democracy spokesman Win Htein said the party had won over 70% of votes counted so far, between 50 and 80% in Burma's 14 states.
He said the party's strongest showing was in the heartland states, where it appeared to be grabbing an 80% share of the votes. The support fell off slightly to 70-50% in the ethnic states.
"All of these have to be confirmed by the Union Election Commission. But we are sure about those numbers," he said.
The figures, if confirmed by official results, indicate that the NLD is heading for a landslide victory.