 In December 2012, the Hengyang Municipal People's Congress convened to elect 73 allotted delegates to the upcoming provincial People's Congress (legislature).According to Hunan provincial media, during the elections process, some 56 candidates attempted to buy votes from the municipal congress members, exchanging goods and cash worth a total monetary value of some 110 million yuan ($17.7 million).Tong, as Hengyang party chief, was the top official overseeing the election process.