The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) is looking for ways to resolve a serious split in its ranks following yesterday’s declaration by Kaohsiung County Commissioner Yang Chiu-hsing (楊秋興) that he intends to run as an independent in the Nov. 27 special municipality elections for Greater Kaohsiung mayor.
“I’ve made up my mind [to run]. I will announce my bid at an opportune moment,” Yang said.
It was the first time Yang publicly confirmed his intention to run since he lost the DPP primary on May 5 to Kaohsiung Mayor Chen Chu (陳菊).
PHOTO: CNA
The residents of Greater Kaohsiung deserved another choice, particularly given what he characterized as the economic downturn of the past few years, Yang said.
“As a local who grew up here, I’m very concerned,” he said, adding that he felt he had to “shoulder greater responsibility.”
Ever since Yang lost the primary, there have been rumors of infighting between the two, fueling speculation that Yang might run as an independent.
Yang is widely believed to have been disappointed by the telephone poll that the DPP used in its primaries. He was listed, along with Chen, as two of the three top-ranked municipal officials in a recent poll by the Chinese-language United Daily News.
The spat became more public last week when the Kaohsiung County Government issued a press release accusing Chen of making personal attacks on Yang’s wife.
Chen allegedly told a meeting of municipal school principals on Monday that she was surprised to discover that there were factions among principals in the county.
“I am unmarried. I don’t have a spouse to help me build factions,” Chen reportedly said.
Yang accused Chen of attacking his wife and said that his family has never been involved in county government affairs.
Chen said she and the party would try to resolve the split.
When asked if she would be willing to work with Yang, Chen said she was open to “all kinds of possibilities.”
Chen’s campaign spokesman, Chao Tien-lin (趙天麟), said the mayor, the DPP and members of pro-localization groups had repeatedly tried to talk to Yang to resolve the divisions left by the primary.
“But we have run into a brick wall in terms of communication,” Chao said.
Meanwhile, Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Huang Chao-shun (黃昭順), who is running against Chen in the mayoral race, said she was paying little attention to splits in the DPP, preferring instead to make sure she is fully prepared for the election campaign.
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