KMT finds itself in quandary overYunlin election

The KMT has run into difficulty in selecting a candidate for the Yunlin county commissioner seat and one of its would-be candidates lashed out at the party yesterday.

The KMT task force had planned to recommend to the Central Standing Committee in its weekly meetings on Wednesday that it nominate legislator Hsu Shu-po (許舒博).

However, KMT heavyweights ended up requesting that the task force reconsider its decision on Wednesday and suggested it not nominate anyone in order to allow all interested party members to run in the election.

Hsu yesterday accused Secretary-general of the Presidential Office Huang Kun-huei (黃昆輝) as the one who held back the nomination process.

"Huang and Chang are relatives; therefore, Huang wants to help Chang win the campaign. I believe they have already negotiated in private that if the KMT promised not to nominate anyone formally, then Chang would return to the KMT to campaign for the party's presidential candidate Lien Chan (連戰) in the upcoming presidential election," Hsu said.

Hsu was referring to former county council speaker Chang Jung-wei (張榮味), who left the KMT two years ago to run for county commissioner but lost in the election. Chang has announced his intention to run for commissioner once again -- this time as an independent candidate.

Hsu stressed that KMT central headquarters should not allow Huang to control the nomination process and that Lien Chan should take responsibility for the situation.

"To cooperate with Chang is to make Yunlin become a mafia county. I am wondering how Lien will be able to stand beside a gangster when he campaigns in Yunlin in the coming six months for the presidential election," Hsu said.

But KMT central leaders denied Hsu's remarks and said they have to listen to local faction leaders' suggestions.

"Supporters from Yunlin County said they need a candidate who can really work with all local powers. The party did not eliminate the possibility of nominating Hsu, who is too rushed to express his willingness," said KMT Secretary-general John Chang (章孝嚴).

Chang also revealed yesterday that some heavyweights suggested nominating a local judge, Wang Pei-chih (王培智), because Wang has a good reputation in Yunlin County.

"There are five factions in Yunlin, so no matter who we nominate, other factions will protest. We have to select a competent candidate and it is not necessary to focus on those faction members," Chang stressed.

KMT central headquarters organization department director Johnson Chen (陳瓊讚) said that the Presidential Office did not influence the nomination process.

"The Presidential Office is not involved with our nomination procedures," Chen stressed.

Sources revealed that Huang did offer his opinion to the task force in charge of recommending candidates, but it was not the key reason why the task force reconsidered its nomination.

"Hsu did not successfully coordinate with all local factions. Other local faction leaders refused to support Hsu; therefore, we have to discuss the matter further," said a task force member who refused to be named.

The relationships among the different factions in Yunlin County are complicated, with many of them of having feuded intensely in the past.

Analyst said the KMT should now be more concerned about losing the election.

"Chang is the leading candidate for the time being. If the KMT's candidate loses to Chang, Chang will join James Soong's (宋楚瑜) camp. Therefore, the KMT's best strategy is to keep a flexible attitude," said Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍), a political scientist at Chungcheng University.

"This means the KMT may not formally nominate a candidate and use its organizational resources to support the one who leads in the campaign in the final stage," he said.

The DPP has formally nominated Lin Chung-lee (林中禮), current chief of Hsiluo town, as the party's candidate for county commissioner.

DPP headquarters members moved to Yunlin County to join Lin's campaign yesterday and the party's presidential candidate, Chen Shui-bian, will hold six big rallies for Lin between next week and election day on Oct. 16.

"The DPP is ready to fight and we will concentrate all party resources on this election. In addition to helping Lin, Chen can boost his own ratings because the DPP traditionally enjoys less support in Yunlin compared with other counties," said Jimmy Kao (郭俊銘), DPP headquarters Organization Department director.