TSU claims its numbers are quickly growing

The Taiwan Solidarity Union's (TSU) seats in the Legislative Yuan will exceed its current 13 when the new legislative session starts in February, former president Lee Teng-hui (李登輝) reportedly told a KMT lawmaker.

"Former president Lee told me that he has been in close contact with some KMT and independent lawmakers who share similar political views with the TSU, and some of them have revealed their willingness to join the TSU after the legislative session begins," KMT lawmaker Lee Shan-ren (李先仁) told the Taipei Times.

"The ex-president said he is confident the TSU's seats will expand to up to 20 by the end of the year," he said.

Founded in August last year, the pro-Taiwan political group grabbed 13 seats in the December legislative polls.

Lee Shan-ren, a KMT legislator who lost his election bid on Dec 1, yesterday paid a visit to Lee -- the former KMT chairman and now the spiritual leader of the TSU -- to report his decision to join the party.

The outgoing lawmaker said Lee had been very concerned about his political future after his defeat in the election and had asked him to join the TSU. "I was there today to inform him of my decision and to send my regards to him for his 80th birthday," he said.

"Lee was pleased with my decision and encouraged me to work with him to put the TSU's political ideals into practice," said the lawmaker, who will chair the party's policy center.

The lawmaker said the former president said in the next two years the party should focus on the economy and on promoting constitutional and legislative reform.

Since the elections, the TSU has been working to recruit more politicians into its fold. The party has particularly targeted the KMT, hoping to take advantage of the influence the former president still has within the party.

The efforts to recruit new party members so far appear to be successful.

Last month, independent lawmaker Lin Jih-chia (林志嘉), a former KMT member who also lost his election bid, joined the TSU and is now serving as the party's deputy secretary general.

Lee Shan-ren will take charge of the policy center of the TSU after he formally announces his decision today. He is the first KMT legislator to defect to the TSU since the December elections.