Taiwan opposition seeks to void city mayor result

TAIPEI, Dec 28 (Reuters) Taiwan's opposition Nationalist Party (KMT) today filed a lawsuit seeking to nullify results of a mayoral election its candidate lost by just 1,100 votes in Kaohsiung, the island's second largest city.

KMT candidate Huang Chun-ying's loss to Chen Chu, of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), surprised many who thought the independence-leaning DPP would lose due to the low popularity of scandal-plagued President Chen Shui-bian.

The poll results took some of the wind out of the more China-friendly KMT, which many were expecting to sail to easy victory in 2008 presidential elections.

The KMT, which ruled all China until fleeing to Taiwan in 1949, filed its suit in Kaohsiung, alleging Chen Chu influenced the results in the days before the vote by accusing the KMT of vote buying, a party official said. The Kaohsiung District Court confirmed the lawsuit was filed today morning.

REUTERS BDP DS1350