Priscilla Ng reports
Political analysts have described competition between pan-democrats and so-called "umbrella soldiers" in this Sunday’s district council elections as "suicidal", which could end up handing seats to pro-establishment candidates.
The pan-democrats are fielding some 180 candidates in Sunday’s polls, but face challenges from political groups who have emerged since last year’s umbrella movement in more than a dozen constituencies.
While the pro-establishment camp may stand to benefit from a splitting of the vote, they aren't without their own problems.
There's been a widening rift within the camp ever since pro-Beijing lawmakers staged a walkout, nearly en masse, during the vote on the government's political reform package for the 2017 chief executive election.
The Liberal Party, which did not take part in the walk-out, warned that those who did may have to bear the consequences in the upcoming vote. Its chairman, Felix Chung, said a number of his party’s candidates will run head-to-head against other pro-Beijing candidates.
"This is just like a war", he said, admitting that there's been no co-ordination with other pro-establishment groups on election strategy.
The pan-democrats are fielding some 180 candidates in Sunday’s polls, but face challenges from political groups who have emerged since last year’s umbrella movement in more than a dozen constituencies.
While the pro-establishment camp may stand to benefit from a splitting of the vote, they aren't without their own problems.
There's been a widening rift within the camp ever since pro-Beijing lawmakers staged a walkout, nearly en masse, during the vote on the government's political reform package for the 2017 chief executive election.
The Liberal Party, which did not take part in the walk-out, warned that those who did may have to bear the consequences in the upcoming vote. Its chairman, Felix Chung, said a number of his party’s candidates will run head-to-head against other pro-Beijing candidates.
"This is just like a war", he said, admitting that there's been no co-ordination with other pro-establishment groups on election strategy.
