The Taiwan Solidarity Union (TSU) and the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) will go head-to-head in the year-end elections for county commissioners and mayors after the TSU said yesterday that it wouldn't work with the DPP.
TSU Secretary-General Cheng Cheng-lung (
Cheng said former president Lee Teng-hui (
PHOTO: LU HSIAN-HSIU, TAIPEI TIMES
"The TSU has to find a new way," Cheng said.
"The DPP has proven insincere in the debate over the Keelung City nomination, using delaying tactics to turn down our request," Cheng said.
He said the TSU had hoped the DPP would make up its mind within one week on whether it would nomination a candidate for the Keelung race.
But the DPP only insisted on conducting surveys to determine who would be the best-qualified candidate.
"It was the TSU who helped President Chen Shui-bian (
"It is upsetting to see the DPP treat the TSU so ruthlessly," Cheng said.
"The TSU will go its own way and will not work with the DPP. We can't negotiate with the DPP any longer," he said.
Cheng said that TSU Chairman Shu Chin-chiang (
"As for other candidates in other cities, Shu will continue to talk to party chapter directors in southern Taiwan to find the best persons," Cheng said.
He said that the TSU might even run its own candidate in the 2008 presidential election and that cooperating with the DPP was not necessary a given.
"We will work with those parties that have integrity and identify with Taiwan," Cheng said.
In response, DPP Secretary-General Lee Yi-yang (
Lee Yi-yang said that DPP Chairman Su Tseng-chang (
"The two chairmen were also in favor of the TSU and the DPP partnering-up in the elections -- having the candidate from one party for mayor, and the other party for deputy mayor," Lee Yi-yang said.
"I urged the TSU not to be rash on the nomination process since no one wants to see the pan-greens face a Waterloo in the year-end elections," he said.
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