An undated photo shows Taiwan's New Taipei City Mayor Eric Chu. Eric Chu was elected chairman of the ruling Kuomintang (KMT) in an uncontested election on Jan. 17, 2015. [Photo/Xinhua]

TAIPEI - Taiwan's ruling Kuomintang (KMT) party replaced deputy legislative speaker Hung Hsiu-chu with KMT chairman Eric Chu for the island's leadership election.

During an extempore party congress Saturday afternoon, 812 out of 891 party delegates attending the congress voted in favor of the abolition of Hung's nomination.

By nullifying Hung's candidacy, the delegates picked Chu as the party's new election candidate.

Hung Hsiu-chu was nominated on July 19 as the KMT candidate in the Taiwan leadership election but has been lagging behind Tsai Ing-wen, chairwoman of the opposition Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) in polls.

In order to improve its souring prospects in the election, which is scheduled for Jan. 16, 2016, KMT decided to hold an extempore party congress.

Besides Tsai, Chu is also set to face People First Party (PFP) Chairman James Soong Chu-yu.