Taipei mayor Chiang Wan-an crossed party lines to back an independent candidate for Chiayi County chief, a sign of shifting alliances ahead of Taiwan's local elections.

• Chiang, from the KMT, joined independent candidate Wu Pin-jui at a temple visit in Chiayi despite heavy rain, drawing hundreds of supporters.
• Wu is the sitting Puzi city mayor and is running without a party label, pitching herself as a break from blue-green politics.
• Chiang praised her eight-year record and her six-point plan for the county, urging locals to back her.
• Chiayi has been run by one party for years, and Wu is campaigning on population loss, young people leaving, and the gap between town and countryside.

Outlook: Expect more cross-party endorsements as candidates court voters tired of the traditional blue-green split.