The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) is bracing for another possible split in its ranks, following a statement from Tainan Mayor Hsu Tain-tsair (許添財) yesterday that he was considering running in the year-end Greater Tainan mayoral race as an independent.
“I mentioned before that if my supporters were able to collect 100,000 signatures, I would consider entering the Greater Tainan race. Right now they have collected about that number; many are insisting I declare,” Hsu said.
Hsu said that he was finding it difficult to make a decision.
PHOTO: HUNG JUI-CHING, TAIPEI TIMES
“If it were such an easy matter to decide, I would have made up my mind long ago,” he said, adding that he would announce his decision in the next two weeks.
Hsu was said to be unhappy after losing the party primary to DPP Legislator William Lai (賴清德), who received the party's nomination for Greater Tainan.
On Tuesday, Kaohsiung County Commissioner Yang Chiu-hsing (楊秋興) surprised the party by declaring his intention to run in Greater Kaohsiung.
Some DPP officials privately expressed concerns that Yang's decision could encourage Hsu to follow suit.
Tainan City and Tainan County — traditional DPP strongholds — will be merged later this year into a special municipality as part of a major administrative reorganization launched by the central government.
When approached by reporters for comment yesterday, DPP Chairperson Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) said she did not think Hsu would run, adding that she “would pay Hsu a visit if necessary.”
At a separate setting, DPP Taipei mayoral candidate Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) said he expected the party would try to prevent a split from happening.
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