Ex-VP Lu says DPP no longer has anything to do with her

Taipei, May 31 (CNA) Former Vice President Annette Lu (呂秀蓮) said Thursday the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) "has nothing to do with me now," confirming speculation that she has decided to quit the party over its nomination of a candidate for the upcoming Taipei mayoral election.

The previous evening, her office posted a message expressing her disappointment at a political party she described as having lost its moral and spiritual standing, so "ByeBye! the DPP." However, it remained unclear if that message meant she had left or intends to leave the party she has been a member of for more than a quarter of a century.

Upon returning to Taiwan from a visit to Malaysia, Lu said Taiwan is fast disappearing from the international arena and "if everyone (here in Taiwan) is just interested in elections, I'm no longer interested."

The biggest issue facing Taiwan "certainly is cross-strait ties" as the threats to peace across the Taiwan Strait are growing and yet people in Taiwan continue to squabble between themselves and even use improper means to win elections, which she said "causes me great pain."

Because of the protracted impasse between the pan-blue and pan-green camps, Lu said Taiwan has lost its sense of justice as well as its sense of right and wrong.

Having said goodbye to the DPP, Lu said she will no longer spend any time caring about party affairs.

The former VP's decision to leave the party was to a large extent prompted by the party's nomination of Legislator Pasuya Yao (姚文智), rather than her, to run in the Taipei mayoral election later this year.

When asked if she would consider running as an independent in the mayoral race, Lu said "nothing should be counted out" as she is determined to show her love of Taiwan by all means.

"I want to work with all of you for the sake of Taiwan. I have just lost my interest in political parties." She joined the DPP in November, 1990.

The bomb-shell announcement triggered a promise by President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文), who is also DPP chairwoman, that she will visit Lu soon. Chen Chu (陳菊), presidential secretary-general and herself a party heavyweight, said the DPP cannot afford a division in its ranks right now.