Taiwan's opposition parties are failing to agree on a joint candidate for the Zhubei mayor race, which is bad news for anyone hoping the KMT and the TPP would present a united front in local elections.

• A former KMT lawmaker claimed the two parties were leaning toward backing the TPP's Chiu Chen-yuan in Zhubei, with the TPP backing the KMT's Hsu Hsin-ying for Hsinchu County chief.
• TPP leader Huang Kuo-chang relayed that KMT chair Cheng Li-wun called Hsu directly, and Hsu said the claim was not true.
• A KMT vice chairman also flatly denied any such deal, and Hsu brushed off questions by telling reporters to ask the former lawmaker.
• Huang says the TPP will now go its own way and run its own campaign to the end, expressing confidence in Chiu.

Outlook: The TPP looks set to run alone in Zhubei, splitting the opposition vote unless a deal is patched together before candidate registration closes.