Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying is still the "No 1 seed" in the forthcoming CE election due to be held in March next year, according to New People's Party Chairperson and legislator Regina Ip Lau Suk-yee.

Without saying whether she would run in the CE election, Ip hopes there will be a contested election, and she does not want to see any single candidate returned unopposed.

"The incumbent CE always has advantages over other candidates because he doesn't need to resign from office to contest the election. It is universally true that the incumbent enjoys advantages. That's why I call him the 'first seed'," she explained.

Ip said: "I hope there'll be an open, competitive CE election. Hong Kong people will not be happy to see any candidate returned unopposed."

However, Ip said she's not sure what scenario would arise - whether there's only one candidate, one pro-establishment candidate versus one opposition candidate, or two people from the pro-establishment camp competing against each other.

In her view, it will depend very much on whether the opposition camp can secure 200 to 300 seats in the Election Committee (EC) election in December, and whether they wish to field a candidate in the CE election. They may have a chance to win 300 seats based on their performance in the recent LegCo elections.

Ip added that if the opposition can secure about 300 EC seats and field a candidate, it will be very risky for the pro-establishment camp to field two candidates to campaign against an opposition candidate.

Asked if she plans to take part in the election, Ip replied that she's still thinking it over and has yet to make a decision.

joseph@chinadailyhk.com

(HK Edition 10/03/2016 page3)