By Kang Seung-woo
The main opposition New Politics Alliance for Democracy (NPAD) is on the verge of breaking-up after its former co-chairman Rep. Ahn Cheol-soo indicated Sunday that he may leave the party.
Ahn’s aides boycotted party affairs Monday and called on current Chairman Moon Jae-in to try to mend fences with Ahn, or they will quit.
Ahn renewed calls for the party to hold a national convention to elect a new leader in preparation for the general election in April next year, only to receive the cold shoulder from Moon.
NPAD floor leader Lee Jong-kul and Rep. Joo Seung-yong did not attend a Supreme Council meeting at the National Assembly as a show of support for Ahn, who is now on a tour to map out his political future, including possibly defecting from the NPAD.
“Chairman Moon should convince Ahn to stay in the party. Otherwise, I quit my post on the Supreme Council,” Joo said.
The floor leader also urged Moon to respond positively to Ahn.
“Moon should give Ahn a warm overcoat in the cold winter,” Lee told reporters.
“The haves are required to give up more for have-nots.”
Rep. Park Jie-won, a leading figure of the party’s minority faction, said that if the NPAD remains as it is, Moon’s leadership as well as the party will collapse.
“There will be a solution to save both sides,” Park told a radio interview, urging Moon to step down.
Faced with growing calls for Moon’s resignation, his side hit back at Ahn’s revolutionary convention, saying that it is not the right strategy for winning next year’s general election.
“With the general election around the corner, Ahn should work together with the chairman to win back the voters’ trust,” said Rep. Jin Sung-joon, who is in charge of the party’s strategic planning.
The NPAD chairman, who refused to respond to Ahn’s renewed call, also provided a glimpse of not accepting the proposal on his SNS account.
Amid deepening internal strife between mainstreamers and those in the minority factions, the latter sides are raising their voices about leaving the party.
“We need to urgently seek ways to refresh the party and break through the current difficulties,” said Rep. You Sung-yop in a radio interview.
“We are not ruling out the possibility of leaving the party. We cannot keep going like this.”
Should Ahn leave the party, some 20 lawmakers are expected to follow him, which will deal a major blow to the NPAD ahead of the election scheduled for April 13, 2016.
The opposition party is now losing its popularity ― even in its political home turf, the Jeolla Provinces.
According to a November poll, the NPAD chairman’s approval rating in the region stood at 5 percent, 3 percentage points lower than the previous month.
Some analysis shows the NPAD will get only 70 to 80 seats in the 300-member parliament.