Dicky Christanto and Erwida Maulia, Jakarta – Political parties trying to put together a jumbo coalition to challenge President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono will need to stop shadow boxing and make hard decisions to win the real fight in July.

Golkar secretary-general Sumarsono said Wednesday the jumbo coalition was hanging in the balance and would require a political compromise in the coming few days if it is to work.

"We are expecting a meeting of political party leaders to hammer out a compromise," Sumarsono said after a meeting with Golkar chairman Jusuf Kalla.

Sumarsono said the reluctance of Golkar, the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), the Greater Indonesia Movement (Gerindra) Party and the People's Conscience (Hanura) Party to each drop their presidential ambitions was standing between them and a grand coalition.

Kalla, who is the Vice President, declared the jumbo coalition of six parties, which would include the United Development Party (PPP) and National Mandate Party (PAN), would be declared before May 3.

Later in the day, Kalla held a meeting with his PPP counterpart, Suryadharma Ali, at the vice presidident's office for talks. But it was still not clear when the six parties could declare their grand alliance.

"We will form a small team to discuss the coalition issue with Golkar," Suryadharma, cooperative and small-scale enterprise minister, said.

PDI-P leader Megawati Soekarnoputri understood the coming four days would be crucial for the proposed partner parties to see if they could form the dream coalition, deputy chairman Tjahjo Kumolo said.

"Bu Mega will meet privately with Prabowo Subianto of Gerindra, Jusuf Kalla of Golkar, Wiranto of Hanura and Suryadharma Ali of the PPP in the next four days to determine the final framework of the coalition," Tjahyo said.

He added the parties would need to put their egos aside if they were to build a strong coalition to fight Yudhoyono, whose Democratic Party has formed a solid coalition with the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS), the National Awakening Party (PKB) and multiple small parties below the radar of the 2.5 percent parliamentary threshold.

"Willingness to step down will play a major role for the planned coalition should the parties expect to seriously challenge SBY. "In politics, you win some and you lose some. So, somebody has to step back from his or her presidential ambitions," Tjahjo said.

Taking a break from his busy political agenda, Kalla appeared on TV One for a talk show, in which he expressed guarded optimism that he could win the presidential electio.

Meanwhile, Muhammadiyah chairman Din Syamsuddin suggested that the political parties should form coalitions based on similar objectives rather than on the "like or dislike" principle.

"Coalitions are okay, but we hope no parties will form coalitions based on likes or dislikes, on enmity and cynicism; moreover with efforts to discredit and ruin each other," Din said, after a meeting with President Yudhoyono.

Din added Muhammadiyah was in favor of a less complex and simpler political party system, with a smaller number of political parties active in contesting elections.