Lee Sen-zong to run for DPP in legislative polls

Legislator Lee Sen-zong (李顯榮), a former Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) member, will represent the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) in January's legislative elections, the DPP said yesterday.

The DPP issued a statement saying Lee had joined the party and agreed to run in Taipei County's 1st District.

The DPP's Central Executive Committee is expected to approve Lee's nomination today, along with the nomination of Legislator Liao Pen-yen (廖本煙), a former Taiwan Solidarity Union (TSU) member.

Liao submitted his membership application yesterday. Liao will run for a seat in Taipei County's 5th District.

The DPP nominated former People First Party legislator Chiu Chuang-liang (邱創良) last month to stand for election in Taoyuan County's 6th constituency.

TSU Legislator Ho Min-hao (何敏豪) said he would decide whether to join the DPP before next Tuesday.

Ho won the opinion poll to represent the pan-green camp in the January elections.

TSU Chairman Huang Kun-huei (黃昆輝) said he believed Ho would make a wise choice despite pressure from the DPP.

President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) visited Ho in Taichung City yesterday to inquire about his intention to join the DPP.

Huang continued to pressure the DPP to agree to let opinion polls decide who should run for the pan-green camp in some areas.

Huang said that while they made the call on Monday and followed up with a written request, the DPP had yet to respond.

Huang said on Monday that his party was willing to drop the nominations of Huang Chao-chan (黃昭展) in Pingtung County and Chien Lin Whei-jun (錢林慧君) in Tainan City in exchange for the DPP's goodwill.

Huang Kun-huei asked the DPP to make a goodwill gesture by Friday and let opinion polls decide who should run for the pan-green camp in three of the constituencies where TSU candidates Tseng Tsahn-deng (曾燦燈), Lo Chih-ming (羅志明) and Lin Jih-jia (林志嘉) are running.

They said they were willing to drop out of the race if they lost the polls and that DPP candidates should do the same if they lost.

Huang Kun-huei said the DPP owes his party an explanation if it turned down the proposal.