A public rally for the KMT in Hsinchu turned ugly when a veteran local politician blamed party chair Cheng Li-wun for wrecking cooperation with the TPP and then struck her on stage — bad for the KMT's image weeks before local elections.

• Fan Chen-tsung, a former Hsinchu county chief, grabbed the microphone and called Cheng the person most to blame if the blue-white alliance falls apart.
• He said Cheng has damaged the KMT from the inside and soured relations with the Taiwan People's Party.
• Cheng and the party's local candidate tried to wave him off, but he kept going.
• During the group photo he slapped Cheng on the head; she flinched, then laughed it off and shook his hand.
• Online reaction was harsh toward him — even people who dislike Cheng said hitting her crossed a line.

Outlook: The clip keeps pressure on Cheng to patch up the KMT-TPP deal in Hsinchu, and the infighting is likely to keep spilling into public view before the vote.