Jakarta – A former general who led the first round of Indonesian presidential polls agreed yesterday to join forces with a defeated rival, a move that could usher in a strategic alliance for the run-off vote.

Front runner Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said he and Dr Amien Rais, who is known as a kingmaker in Indonesian politics, had agreed to join "thoughts and resources", although the two had not formed a direct coalition.

Both Mr Bambang and his challenger, incumbent Megawati Sukarnoputri, have been courting first-round losers ahead of the Sept 20 final vote in the hope of securing the majority they both failed to achieve in the initial poll.

Analysts say such support will probably not influence an increasingly independent-minded electorate, but it will be needed later to create a stable government.

After a meeting at Dr Amien's home in the Javanese cultural capital, Yogyakarta, Mr Bambang told Elshinta radio the two had agreed to pursue an agenda focusing on democratisation, human rights, law enforcement and the tackling of corruption.

Results from the July 5 first round put Mr Bambang on top with almost 34 per cent of the vote compared to Ms Megawati's 27 per cent. Dr Amien came in fourth with almost 15 per cent of the vote.

Dr Amien, the People's Consultative Assembly Speaker and a former chairman of Muhammadiyah – the country's second-largest Muslim social group – said it was too early to talk of a full-blown coalition with Mr Bambang.

Meanwhile, about 100 students outside the United States consulate in Indonesia's second city, Surabaya, denounced what they called Washington's interference in the elections, the official Antara news agency said.

Protest leader Ihsan Tualeka said American interference was proved by the release of a poll just hours after the vote by the US-based National Democratic Institute, accurately forecasting Mr Bambang and Ms Megawati's results.