The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) on Saturday elected 29 members to its Central Standing Committee, with Legislator Fu Kun-chi (傅崐萁) receiving the most votes.
Fu, who represents a constituency in Hualien County, was elected to the committee with 1,234 votes, the highest number among the 40 KMT members who were vying for a seat in the party’s top decisionmaking body.
A controversial figure in the opposition party, Fu had his KMT membership revoked in 2009 when he ran for Hualien County magistrate in defiance of the party’s request not to. He won the election.
Photo: CNA
Fu’s wife, Hsu Chen-wei (徐榛蔚), was selected as the party’s candidate for that position in 2018 and is now the county magistrate.
Fu’s strong backing in the committee vote was driven largely by his support for KMT Chairman Eric Chu (朱立倫), a party member said on condition of anonymity.
Fu has been assigned to several campaign posts in preparation for the local elections in November, the party member said.
The strong win indicated vigorous grassroots support, which greatly helps Fu’s efforts to organize the party’s campaign and recruit candidates, another KMT member who prefers anonymity said.
Six other incumbent legislators were among the 29 people elected on Saturday to the committee.
Among them were Nantou County Councilor Yu Hao (游顥) with 1,086 votes, former Tainan County Council Deputy Speaker Chen Tsung-hsing (陳宗興) with 1,049 and Legislator-at-Large Wu I-ding (吳怡玎) with 987.
The newly elected committee members are expected to assume their posts on Wednesday.
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