The Association for Democracy and People's Livelihood (ADPL) has pulled out of two constituencies in the Legco election amid concern infighting could kill the pan-democratic camp's chances of winning a third of the 70 seats up for grabs.
The party has withdrawn its slates of candidates in the New Territories West and Kowloon East constituencies a week after registering them, and will run only in Kowloon West.
Kowloon East candidate Hui Kam-shing will now rank second on a slate of candidates for the new 'super seats' in the functional constituency for district councils - to be elected by a citywide poll of 3.2 million voters who do not vote in other functional constituencies.
New Territories West hopeful Bruce Liu Sing-lee will join the group's Kowloon West slate, ranking behind vice-chairman Tam Kwok-kiu. The original three-candidate slate will be expanded to five.
'In Kowloon East and New Territories West, there is intense fighting between the pro-establishment and pan-democratic camps, in particular for the final seat at stake,' Tam said. 'After internal discussion, we are willing to support the League of Social Democrats in Kowloon East and consider backing the Democratic Party in New Territories West.'
He said the changes were not prompted by fear of defeat. 'If we feared losing, we would arrange for Frederick Fung to defend his seat in Kowloon West instead of contesting a super seat.'