Disqualified Hong Kong lawmakers trigger by-election scramble
Political parties ready themselves for New Territories East and Kowloon West by-election after High Court ruling
Political parties on both sides have wasted no time in flagging their interests in the vacated seats of two localist lawmakers booted from the legislature.
Just a day after the High Court disqualified pro-independence lawmakers Sixtus Baggio Leung Chung-hang and Yau Wai-ching for their oath-taking antics, politicians from the pro-democracy and pro-establishment camps raised their hands for the New Territories East and Kowloon West seats.
Andrew Cheng Kar-foo, a former Democrat who lost in the September Legco elections in New Territories East, on Wednesday urged his allies to hold a primary race ahead of the by-elections.
“A primary would resolve the distrust within the camp and help us consolidate our energy in fighting against the pro-establishment camp,” Cheng said, adding he would not contest the by-election unless a primary was held.
Our electioneering machine in Kowloon West can be launched any time
Cheng bagged 17,892 votes in the September poll and was accused of “snatching votes” from his once-protege Gary Fan Kwok-wai, who also lost the seat.