Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Taipei mayoral candidate Pasuya Yao (姚文智) yesterday said his decision on Sunday to resign from the Legislative Yuan to focus on his mayoral campaign was spontaneous.
Asked for comment yesterday, Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) candidate Ting Shou-chung (丁守中) praised his opponent’s decision, while Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je (柯文哲), an independent candidate, said he respected it.
Yao on Sunday announced the move to supporters during a campaign parade and radio host Clara Chou (周玉蔻) invited him to explain his reasoning in an interview yesterday.
He said he had considered resigning earlier, but an empty seat in the legislature would have triggered a by-election, which might have been held before Saturday’s elections, he said, adding that timing was crucial.
“The final decision was made on the spur of the moment at Sunday’s parade,” Yao said.
“I was deeply moved by the large number of people who came to support me yesterday ... it immediately occurred to me that I should announce [the decision] to everyone,” he said
Asked about Yao’s decision to resign, Ting praised him for his determination “to burn his bridges behind him.”
Asked whether Yao’s decision could benefit his campaign, Ting said he did not know, but added that at least it would be a fair battle among the three main candidates.
Ting’s chances of winning would increase the higher Saturday’s voter turnout was, he added.
Ko said each candidate has their own strategies in the final stage of a campaign, but as he could only control his strategies, he would only say that he “respects Yao’s decision.”
“I was already in an emergency situation,” he said, when asked if Yao’s decision might affect his chances of winning, but added that as a surgeon, he had gotten used to stress and uncertainty.
Repeating a remark from Sunday’s campaign event, he said he feels that party politics has become similar to “gang politics,” because people of the same party cover each other’s mistakes while not supporting what people in other parties do.
Ko reiterated his commitment not to use smear tactics, as criticizing his opponents would not make him a better candidate.
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