A former Hsinchu County chief who once ran under the DPP has thrown his weight behind the KMT's candidate, while publicly blaming the party's own chair for botching the opposition alliance — an ugly sign for KMT unity ahead of the local vote.

• Fan Chen-tsung appeared at a rally for KMT candidate Hsu Hsin-ying and called for a full "blue-white" alliance between the KMT and the TPP.
• He turned on KMT chair Cheng Li-wun to her face, telling her she would be the biggest culprit if the seat is lost.
• His charge: the KMT is split internally and has failed to lock in cooperation with the TPP, so good tactics cannot save a bad strategy.
• Cheng cut in to say she has already given everything she has; Hsu tried to stop him talking, and he kept going anyway.
• He argued the race is winnable on its merits if vote-buying is stamped out hard.

Outlook: The public dressing-down puts pressure on the KMT to close a deal with the TPP in Hsinchu County, or wear the blame if the seat slips away.