Mongolian People's Party (MPP) chairman Sukhbaatar Batbold has resigned following the ruling party's recent election loss, blaming a split as the main cause of the defeat.

Batbold announced his decision at a party conference Tuesday afternoon, saying political and social conditions at the election were the hardest for the party in the past 20 years.

He accused former party chairman Nambaryn Enkhbayar of splitting the party by using the old name, Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party (MPRP), to form a new party. Enkhbayar was supported by other political forces and some lawmakers from MPP who took part in this split for personal gain, Batbold said.

He said some people who illegally used the old name were the major cause for election loss. Voters had confused the names of "Mongolian People's Party" and "Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party" as one party. "We did not work sufficiently to promote the name of our party -- Mongolian People's Party," he said.

Batbold also said there was an attempt to blame the whole party during the election campaign by arresting and threatening local party leaders, officials and candidates under the name of fighting corruption.

"It seems we are losing the support of urban residents each year. We lost in all districts of Ulan Bator except the two disputed districts of Songinokhairkhan and Bayanzurkh. We need to reach more urban residents," Batbold warned.

MPP conference members accepted Batbold's resignation and elected member of parliament Olziisaikhan Enkhtuvshin to replace him.

Enkhtuvshin, a former history teacher, has previously been chairman of government cabinet secretariat and minister of education.

The party conference continues Wednesday.

The Democratic Party of Mongolia won the June 28 parliamentary election, capturing 31 seats in the country's 76-member parliament, while the MPP obtained 25 seats.