TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Kuo Kuo-wen (郭國文) on Tuesday publicly criticized caucus convener Ker Chien-ming (柯建銘), who is under mounting pressure following the party’s failed recall campaign against Kuomintang lawmakers.

Kuo confirmed that an ETtoday report on internal DPP conflicts referred to a clash between him and Ker. He stressed his criticism targeted what he called a strategic error by the caucus, not individuals, per Tai Sounds.

He said that by taking a confrontational stance against the Taiwan People’s Party-KMT alliance, the caucus blocked DPP legislators from submitting counterproposals and prevented the Cabinet from introducing its own version. When more than 10 DPP lawmakers voiced support for a proposed NT$10,000 (US$327) tax rebate during a caucus meeting, Ker dismissed the plan as unconstitutional and cut off discussion, Kuo added.

With the DPP no longer holding a legislative majority, Kuo argued the party’s best path forward is to propose stronger, more popular legislation than the opposition. After the failed recall campaign, Ker signaled he intends to remain in his post.

ETtoday reported that since August, high-level meetings at the Presidential Office have expanded their participant list to include caucus officials. Traditionally attended by President Lai Ching-te’s (賴清德) New Tide faction and Premier Cho Jung-tai’s (卓榮泰) Democracy Living Water Connection, they now also include members of the Taiwan Normal Country Promotion Association, Taiwan Forward, and former President Tsai Ing-wen’s (蔡英文) faction.

While some, including DPP Legislator Su Chiao-hui (蘇巧慧), support Ker remaining caucus convener, others are calling for his resignation, per Liberty Times. Responding to Su’s remark that Ker is “irreplaceable,” former legislator and New Tide figure Tuan Yi-kang (段宜康) countered that no one in the party is irreplaceable, per UDN.

DPP Legislator Wang Shi-chien (王世堅), who had opposed the recall campaign and urged the party to abandon it after the initial failure on July 26, declined to say whether Ker should step down, telling Newtalk the timing was not appropriate.

In an unexpected twist, KMT caucus convener Fu Kun-chi (傅崐萁) nominated Ker to chair a Constitutional Amendment Committee, per ETtoday. Ker was elected and expressed gratitude to Fu for the support.