The Legislative Council by-elections are only four days away, but the political spotlight is being shone on one key question: did the government pressure the president of the legislature, Tsang Yok-sing, to support its constitutional reform proposal?
Now, speculation is swirling around town and the media is focusing on whose political credibility, exactly, has gone bankrupt. This will have unimaginable political consequences but will do little to encourage people to vote on Sunday.
Looking closer, it is not difficult to see who instigated this self-scripted, self-directed, one-man show. About two weeks ago Tsang revealed during a TV talk show that he would consider resigning from the president's post to vote for the government's reform package.
It immediately stirred up intense debate because, when Tsang ran for the Legislative Council's presidency, he vowed to remain politically neutral.
He would not vote in Legco on any issue, would play no role in running his political party - the pro-establishment Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong - and make no provocative political comments.
Even though he may resign in order to vote for the reform package, most people would still see that as reneging on his promise.
Then the controversy took another turn last week, when Tsang met a number of pan-democrats to further explain the case. He told them the chief executive had asked him to vote for the reform package, according to pan-democrats who attended the meeting, although this was quickly denied by Tsang and the chief executive.