Too many DPP leaders are jockeying to get the job as its chairman, after its standard-bearer Frank Hsieh had lost the election. He agreed to serve as acting chairman until May 25.

Scholars, political pundits and media representatives will attend four meetings at the DPP central office starting this evening, a party spokesman said yesterday.

Three other meetings, to be held one each in Kaohsiung, Taichung and Taipei, will be attended by card-carrying DPP members on Saturday and Sunday.

Only DPP public office holders will take part in two self-examination meetings on April 19 and 20.

All nine are closed-door meetings, the spokesman said.

Participants will discuss whether the party charter should be revised and what policy lines should be adopted for the next four years.

"When they are finalized," the spokesman said, "they will be submitted to the central executive council for review and to a national party congress for approval."

The party congress is scheduled for May 4.

But the central executive council will meet this afternoon to decide if the election of the chairman should take place on May 18 as was recommended by Frank Hsieh.

"We'll also discuss if those younger members, age 18 to 35, can vote in the election, even though they acquired membership less than a year ago," the spokesman pointed out.

That, again, was Hsieh's recommendation. Hsieh originally set the date for the election on May 25, the day he steps down as acting chairman.

His recommendations, however, met with opposition from among DPP leaders who want to step into his shoes.

President Chen Shui-bian, Hsieh and his running mate Su Tseng-chang are fielding proxies. Trong Chai, a DPP heavy, wants to run for party chairman. Younger leaders, including Tuan Yi-kang of the New Tide faction, and Luo Wen-jia, President Chen's former protege, are joining in the fray.

The intra-party power struggle is getting out of control, and leaders are now trying to find a compromise chairman to tide over the crisis.

They want to draft a candidate, who would then run unopposed.

One candidate was mentioned. Chen Shih-meng, a former secretary-general to President Chen, was called upon to replace Frank Hsieh. Chen Shih-meng rejected the draft, however.

In a subtle campaign, Tuan named President Chen as the man who had to bear responsibility for the two election routs. The DPP lost the legislative elections on January 12. The Kuomintang now controls a three-fourths majority in the 113-seat Legislative Yuan.

Chen Shui-bian's Justice Alliance faction is launching a counterattack. Lawmaker Lawrence Kao, the president's chief lieutenant, is proposing a party election reform plan.

"We propose that all members can vote in the election of the chairman," Kao said. According to his reform plan, anyone who joins the party on Election Day will be able to vote.