TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — KMT Chair Cheng Li-wun (鄭麗文) on Monday urged the party’s Taichung mayoral primary contenders to trust internal rules, saying they would not be adjusted to suit specific individuals.

Addressing controversy over the Taichung primary, Cheng said KMT Legislator Yang Chiung-ying (楊瓊瓔) is running for mayor in earnest and not using the race as leverage for political bargaining, per Tai Sounds. Referring to Legislative Yuan Deputy Speaker Johnny Chiang (江啟臣), Cheng said that while the party had previously placed high expectations on him, that did not guarantee automatic nomination, particularly in a city where the KMT holds a competitive advantage.

Cheng rejected accusations that the party was delaying the nomination process, saying decisions would be made impartially regardless of her personal relationships with any candidates. She urged party members not to misinterpret internal rules or place unnecessary pressure on the party.

The KMT announced Friday that it plans to conduct the Taichung primary survey between March 25 and March 31, with polling agencies and the specific three polling days to be jointly selected by the two candidates.

The announcement drew strong criticism from Chiang, who said a previously signed agreement required the primary to be held before the end of March and barred disclosure of survey dates, per UDN. The party said the final week of March meets that requirement and that announcing the survey window does not disclose the specific polling days.

Chiang countered that “before the end of March” includes dates earlier than the final week, accusing the party of violating the agreement. He urged the KMT to adhere to the original terms, warning that changes could give political opponents ammunition for attacks.

Responding to Yang’s claim that the timetable resulted from renewed negotiations, Chiang said he had not participated in any further coordination talks with Yang and therefore rejected the notion that a consensus had been reached to conduct the survey in the final week of March, per Storm Media. He added that early disclosure of survey dates could invite outside interference.

Taichung Mayor Lu Shiow-yen (盧秀燕) criticized the primary schedule, saying late March is too late for Taichung’s electoral considerations, per UDN. Chiang echoed her remarks, calling on the party to hold a swift primary to ease anxiety among the party’s base.

Political commentator Huang Yang-ming (黃揚明) also criticized the KMT, urging Cheng to focus on local elections rather than cross-strait engagement, per Storm Media. He called on the party to reexamine its agreements with candidates and withdraw the announced survey window.

Huang warned that if the KMT were to lose Taichung due to what he described as interference with Chiang’s chances, Cheng could face losing the party chair in 2027.

Addressing why the KMT opted for a late-March survey despite repeated calls from Lu to finalize a candidate as soon as possible, media commentator Chen Min-feng (陳敏鳳) suggested the move was intended to benefit Yang, per SETN. Chen said Yang believed that the Jade Emperor, a Taoist deity, had indicated she could reverse the primary outcome by the end of March.

Chen added that many Taichung City councilors are dissatisfied with the party’s decision and warned that the KMT risks losing Taichung if it ultimately nominates Yang.