Self-serving 'critical condition' calls could harm the whole pan-democratic camp, the League of Social Democrats warned yesterday.
Citing the Democratic Party's 'emergency calls' in the Hong Kong Island contest four years ago, widely believed to have diverted votes from ally Audrey Eu Yuet-mee's ticket and cost Cyd Ho Sau-lan a seat, league chairman Wong Yuk-man called on other pan-democrats not to repeat this.
The Democratic Party was criticised two years ago over its strategy at the Legco polls. The party and the list led by Ms Eu could have each grabbed two seats in the Island constituency. But the Democrats ended up with more votes than they needed. The appeal took votes away from Ms Eu's ticket, leaving her with only enough support for one seat, while Ms Ho was defeated by Choy So-yuk.
Mr Wong signed up yesterday for the Kowloon West race with running mate and the league vice-chairwoman Jo Lee Wai-yee. 'We won't issue emergency calls from the start.'
He said the league would fight for universal suffrage and a statutory minimum wage, and would also consider calling on Chief Executive Donald Tsang Yam-kuen to step down if he continued to ignore public opinion.
Mr Wong said he was confident that the league would win a seat in each of the five geographical constituencies. Flanked by about 50 supporters, he submitted his nomination in Cheung Sha Wan.
