Taiwan's opposition parties are scrambling to patch up a split that could hand the ruling DPP an easy win in Hsinchu County, and there are early signs a deal is possible.

• The KMT and TPP each put up a candidate for Zhubei mayor, splitting the opposition vote.
• Former lawmaker Lin Wei-chou spent a day calling both sides' leaders and says everyone agrees only a joint ticket can win.
• The TPP accuses the KMT of breaking a March power-sharing pact that traded Zhubei for the Hsinchu County top job.
• Both candidates have already picked up registration papers, with filing due in early September — a narrow window to strike a deal.
• Elsewhere, Taipei mayor Chiang Wan-an is drawing repeated debate challenges from DPP rivals, and President Lai is pushing a large fund to help small businesses upgrade.

Outlook: If no deal lands before candidate registration closes, the opposition split becomes locked in and the DPP gains ground in a district it would normally lose.