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An attempt by party dissidents to unseat the League of Social Democrats' chairman Andrew To Kwan-hang and the executive committee failed last night. 
The motion was defeated, 170-111, with 10 abstentions.
Another motion to endorse setting up district branches was passed. This move was championed by the league's leadership to help it compete in next year's district council elections as it worked with pan-democratic allies. 
For this motion, 156 were in favour of district branches with 93 opposing. Many voting party members were not present at last night's meeting. Also, some members voted in one motion, but not the other.
Edward Yum Liang-hsien, who led the dissidents, conceded defeat, but vowed to remain  a 'normal member who monitors the party leaders'.
To's victory will likely put an end to months of party infighting, at least for now. The league is the most radical within the pan-democratic camp. 'We have wasted months on this, after tonight we need to speed up our campaign work,' he said. 
Cracks first appeared during the summer as the league negotiated with other pan-democrats over next year's council elections. To said the conflict was expected to damage the party's performance.  
The league currently has six district council members. 
Despite the rows,  To said the party meeting,  at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, was 'a paragon of intra-party democracy'.
'I hope our members can understand the party culture and refrain from personal attacks on online platforms,' he said.
A new intranet forum had been set up to enable members to air their concerns while keeping internal disputes from going public. 'League members should [get over] the Chinese habit of complaining whenever victory is not on their side,' To said.
Yum said To should still pay attention when almost 40 per cent of the votes had opposed his policy. 
'In a government, a disapproval rate of 40 per cent can effectively bring on a  crisis,' he said. 'The chairman should listen  to the dissidents before putting forward a proposal.'  
He added there would be no further 'leadership-toppling attempts' before the next executive committee election in December 2012.



Party dissidents fail in their attempt to unseat league chairman