'Long Hair' laments failed poll strategies

Mistakes in election strategy cost the major pan-democrat parties four directly elected seats, radical legislator and veteran activist "Long Hair" Leung Kwok-hung said yesterday.

Leung, chairman of the League of Social Democrats (LSD), also apologised to nearly 88,000 voters who cast ballots for the party's four candidates since he was the only one to win a seat.

"Mainstream parties such as the Democrats and the Civic Party drew up their strategies based on district council election results, which was not right," Leung argued.

"They thought the radicals would not gain support, so they wasted a lot of votes."

The radical parties were rebuffed in November's district council election, holding onto only one of their six seats. People Power held one seat and the LSD was shut out.

Leung was accompanied yesterday by his party's failed candidates: Avery Ng Man-yuen (Hong Kong Island), Andrew To Kwan-hang (Kowloon East) and "The Bull" Tsang Kin-shing (New Territories West).

Leung said rivalry between People Power's Wong Yeung-tat and LSD's To cost his party a seat in Kowloon East.

This was To's fourth loss in a Legco election since 2000. He said he would take a break before deciding what to do next.

When asked whether strife between People Power and the LSD during the election would affect their future co-operation, Leung said the two parties did not have a stable, co-operative relationship. He said he was open to co-operation with any ally.