A public rift is deepening inside Taiwan's KMT, with Changhua's county chief refusing for the fourth time to stand alongside the party chair and its pick for her job — bad news for party unity ahead of the local elections.

• KMT chair Cheng Li-wun went to Changhua again to back Wei Ping-cheng, the party's candidate for county chief.
• County chief Wang Hui-mei stayed away for the fourth time and said she only learned of the nomination from news reports while abroad.
• Wang had pushed two of her own people for the job and feels sidelined by the party's central leadership.
• Last week she appeared with President Lai Ching-te instead, defending it as work for Changhua.
• Cheng admitted the choice did not match Wang's wishes and told Wei to earn her backing.

Outlook: Wei will keep courting Wang, but she has signalled only that she will serve out her remaining term, leaving her support uncertain.