Salim Osman – Retired colonel Poedjiyono is a picture of confidence as he entertains guests at his house in Margorejo on the outskirts of Surabaya.

The 59-year-old retired army officer speaks to them individually about their requests and offers them his counsel.

They are residents of the area and his house – a single-storey bungalow in this densely populated district – is the headquarters of the Lembaga Demokrat Sejati (LDS) or the True Democrat Institute.

The LDS is a non-government organisation doing community work to uplift the lot of the rakyat kecil (little people). It offers a range of services from foot massage to legal advice, job training and IQ tests for students enrolling to choice schools.

"Our doors are open to anyone from any political party," says Mr Poedjiyono. His mission is also to promote democracy and encourage the masses to participate in the process, he adds.

In reality, the LDS is part of a grassroots network that has been used since September last year to rouse support for former security minister Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono in his bid for the presidency.

It is one of almost 60 institutions that have sprouted in Surabaya this year to back the retired general. These include associations representing farmers, workers and even trishaw riders and surviving on donations from businessmen and other organisations. This loose network has played a crucial role in boosting the popularity of the presidential contender.

It has helped him garner a relatively large number of votes in an area that has been a base for Nahdlatul Ulama, the largest Muslim organisation in the country.

Mr Bambang, of the Democrat Party, and his running mate Muhammad Jusuf Kalla, a Golkar cadre, obtained 33.27 per cent of the votes in the first round of polling in the East Java capital.

The incumbent president, Ms Megawati Sukarnoputri, and her running mate, Nahdlatul Ulama chairman Hasyim Muzadi, won just four percentage points more.

But on the provincial level, Mr Bambang emerged as the winner. He garnered almost seven million votes compared to Mrs Megawati's 5.4 million in the first round of the presidential poll on July 5. East Java has a voter population of 26 million people.

The results came as a pleasant shock to Mr Bambang's campaign team. Despite lacking a political machine as strong as the Golkar Party or the Indonesian Democratic Party-Struggle (PDI-P) of Mrs Megawati, Mr Bambang was able to register a good showing because of his mass appeal and grassroots support.

While his rivals have forged an alliance with Golkar and several other parties in a broad coalition, Mr Bambang has built a coalition of the people through his network of grassroots organisations.

He has pitted what has been dubbed "people power" against Indonesia's traditional mighty political machinery of the Golkar and PDI-P parties.

Businessman Idrus Shahab, of the Democrat Party, told The Straits Times that the party's success in the first round could be attributed to the role played by these grassroots organisations. They include SBY Fans Club and a Pro-SBY Movement that have sprouted nationwide. SBY is a reference to Mr Bambang using the initials of his name.

Members of these organisations have canvassed for votes for the front runner in their respective areas in the province. "We have stepped up our informal campaign for the second round through this network, amassing much support on the ground for SBY," said Mr Idrus.

Mr Idrus, who is on the campaign team for East Java, claims that his network is supported by 57 organisations, commanding a following of 14 million people. "Based on the loose membership that we have in all these organisations, we are confident of garnering at least 60 per cent of the votes," he said in an interview.

But observers contend that another network of retired military men, many operating through several organisations that support Mr Bambang and his campaign team here and in other provinces, is also crucial for ensuring his victory at the poll.

No fewer than six retired senior generals are backing the campaign of Mr Bambang. Despite being retired, they command a following even among the current crop of military officers still in the armed forces.

As Mr Poedjiyono puts it: "We retired military officers support him because we believe he is an able leader who can lead the country forward, compared to other candidates. The fact that some of us may be his former colleagues is purely coincidental." Together with other social groups, they want to clear the way for Mr Bambang to assume the presidency.