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DPP calls on voters to ditch TSU

With the legislative elections only 10 days away, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) yesterday called on voters to cast their second ballots with the DPP rather than its political ally, the Taiwan Solidarity Union (TSU).

Yu Shyi-kun, who heads the DPP electoral campaign, said that more than 10 pro-Taiwan groups had launched a signature drive calling for support of the DPP.

The groups are expected to hold a press conference today, he said.

"A divided pan-green camp [risks] a landslide defeat in the face of a pan-blue alliance," Yu said. "The final week of [the campaign] is key. We must find ways to motivate DPP supporters to come out and vote. We still stand a good chance of winning if we make every effort."

Yu made the remarks after the party's closed-door Central Standing Committee meeting yesterday.

Yu said he had called for unity during the meeting because the nation was finding itself in an unfavorable position because of collaboration between Beijing and the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT), especially after KMT presidential candidate Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) was cleared of corruption charges by the Taiwan High Court last week.

Ma's acquittal gave the KMT a big boost, Yu said, adding that Beijing could now rest easy because the KMT is against democracy and referendums and acts as Beijing's pawn and mouthpiece in the legislature.

"If we do not unite, the KMT is likely to hand over Taiwan to China on a plate," Yu said.

DPP Legislator Shen Fa-hui (沈發惠), who doubles as the executive director of the DPP's Policy Committee, said the signature drive initiated by the pro-Taiwan groups was voluntary and that the party was uncertain about how the campaign was progressing.

Asked whether the TSU was still a DPP ally, Shen said that any party that supports democracy and localization was an ally.

DPP Cultural and Information Department Director Hsieh Hsin-ni (謝欣霓) said that the party was confident it could secure 50 seats in the legislature, including 35 district legislators.

In a bid to garner support, she said President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁), DPP presidential candidate Frank Hsieh (謝長廷) and vice presidential candidate Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) would redouble their electioneering efforts for the party's legislative candidates in the run-up to Jan. 12.

At a separate setting yesterday, TSU spokeswoman Chou Mei-li (周美里) criticized the DPP for capitalizing on its political advantage and manipulating pro-Taiwan organizations for electoral gains.

Chou said the DPP's decision to distance itself from the TSU only highlighted its anxiety about the elections and showed that it put the needs of the party before those of the nation.
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