A claimed deal between Taiwan's KMT and the TPP over who runs in Hsinchu County and Zhubei City fell apart within a day, leaving both parties heading for a contested race.

• Former KMT lawmaker Lin Wei-chou said the two parties had agreed to back the TPP's Chiu Chen-yuan for Zhubei mayor and the KMT's Hsu Hsin-ying for Hsinchu County chief.
• TPP chairman Huang Kuo-chang shot that down, saying KMT chair Cheng Li-wen relayed that Hsu called the claim untrue.
• The KMT's own Zhubei candidate, Wu Hsu-chih, said the account did not match his understanding and that he will register to run as planned.
• Hsinchu County council speaker Chang Chen-jung was blunter, saying the KMT would never cede Zhubei and that each side should climb its own mountain.
• Lin later posted only that he had done his best and "the road is still long," then stopped answering calls.

Outlook: With candidate registration due this week, both parties look set to run against each other in Zhubei unless their chairs strike a last-minute deal.