Yunlin County Council Speaker Chen Ching-hsiu (
To avoid a split in the KMT and to secure victory in December's city and county chief elections, as well as to improve the KMT's chances in the 2008 presidential election, Lien should continue serving as the party's head, Chen said in the statement.
KMT spokeswoman Cheng Lee-wen (
Commenting on the grass-roots support for Lien to remain as chairman, Cheng said that it is entirely up to Lien whether or not to enter the race.
Legislative Speaker Wang Jin-pyng (
Wang, who is one of the KMT's five vice chairmen, said that he will immediately pull out of the race should Lien announce his decision to seek a second term in the post through a vote in the party.
Wang said, however, that he will continue with his campaign for the party's top post as scheduled, despite an endorsement launched by various city and county council speakers and deputy speakers of KMT affiliation calling on Lien to take part in the party's election for chairmanship on July 16.
If Lien really seeks a second term, it will help assuage grave public concern over the party's future, Wang said.
He also brushed aside speculation that the race between himself and Taipei Mayor Ma Ying-jeou (
In response to Chen's statement, Ma yesterday declined to answer a "hypothetical question" as to whether he would withdraw from the chairmanship race should Lien decide to run for another term.
"So far I haven't seen any sign that suggests Lien's intention to run for re-election," Ma said.
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