The DPP had been expected to decide the rules of its presidential primary and when a winner would be announced yesterday, but a meeting of its Central Executive Committee fizzled out after the chairman called a recess. Supporters of President Tsai Ing-wen blame DPP Chairman Cho Jung-tai for rigging the meeting in favor of challenger Lai Ching-te. Cho Jung-taiDPP chairmanLater on, the history books will show that we made a mockery of the March 13th proceedings right here at this meeting. I won''t allow this kind of thing to happen. So, let''s take a break. Right after delivering his prepared remarks, DPP Chairman Cho ignored the protests of committee member Chen Ming-wen and abruptly called a recess.Chen Ming-wenDPP lawmakerWe nearly had a consensus. Then suddenly Chairman Cho started reading from a script and called a recess. I think that''s going too far. It''s holding the Central Executive Committee in contempt. Never before has a chairman done anything like this.During the break, Cho went behind closed doors with the five members of the negotiation team and representatives of Tsai and Lai. The chairman had initially invited Lai himself to take part, but the move was vetoed by the negotiation team. After the closed-door talk, Cho adjourned the Central Executive Committee meeting.Cho Jung-taiDPP chairmanBefore the break, we had reached a point where no solutions could be found. The Central Executive Committee will convene again next Wednesday to resume discussion. Meeting adjourned.After the meeting, Lai held a press conference at the DPP headquarters. Meanwhile, Tsai''s supporters questioned the impartiality of the DPP chairman. Juan Chao-hsiungTsai Ing-wen spokesmanChairman Cho forced an early end to discussion at the Central Executive Committee meeting. He wished to allow just one of the primary candidates to join the discussion and submit a proposal. He also allowed Lai to hold a press conference at the party''s headquarters. Wouldn''t this kind of bias lead people to question the fairness of the primary?The storm brewing in the DPP is set to gather strength and potentially come to a head next Wednesday.
