People Power and League of Social Democrats grab votes at double

Support for radical political groups the League of Social Democrats and People Power nearly doubled in the New Territories East constituency over the past few years, while votes for the Democratic Party almost halved.

The two groups won 86,337 votes in the constituency in total in the Legislative Council poll on Sunday - nearly twice the 44,763 votes that the league's "Long Hair" Leung Kwok-hung secured in the previous 2008 election, before People Power was formed.

The new group was set up last year after two lawmakers, Wong Yuk-man and Albert Chan Wai-yip, split from the league.

It made a breakthrough by grabbing one new seat in New Territories East, to add to its current seats in Kowloon West and New Territories West.

In contrast, the Democratic Party lost two of its three New Territories East seats in this year's election, with its support plunging 42.8 per cent to 68,185 votes.

People Power's Raymond Chan Chi-chuen won with 38,042 votes, even more than another winner, veteran Democrat lawmaker Emily Lau Wai-hing, who got 37,039 votes.