Adianto P. Simamora, Jakarta – The slide in votes for the Golkar Party and the United Development Party (PPP) in Thursday's polls have exacerbated rifts within the parties.

Senior Golkar members have pointed the finger at party chairman Jusuf Kalla for failing to unite the party to win the elections.

Senior member Pinantun Hutasoit said Golkar leaders, particularly those on the executive board, should take responsibility for the sharp drop in votes for the party in the polls.

"The 10 percent drop in legislative votes is proof of the failure of the Golkar leadership in the elections," Pinantun, a former executive board member, said as quoted by Antara news agency. "As a Golkar member, I can't accept such a result. The central board must take responsibility before the presidential election."

He added the party needed to reformulate its strategies ahead of the presidential election, including by teaming up with other parties.

Golkar advisory board member Sri Sultan Hamengkubowono X admitted he was not surprised by the decline in votes. "It was likely caused by the party's uncertainty over naming a presidential candidate," he said.

He added the uncertainty had caused poor coordination in the field between the central executive board and its provincial boards in facing the legislative elections. Hamengkubuwono was the first Golkar member to declare his presidential bid.

Golkar has long been under pressure to hold a convention to name its presidential candidate, as it did in the 2004 elections. Kalla, however, rejected the notion, saying it would only benefit freeloaders within Golkar who wanted to contest the presidency.

Golkar is currently the biggest faction at the House of Representatives, controlling 128 of 550 seats.

As of Sunday, the Center for Vote Tabulation had recorded a total of 1.49 million votes, with Golkar in second place with about 14 percent, and the Democratic Party out in front with 20 percent. A series of quick counts also put Golkar firmly behind President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's Democratic Party.

Meanwhile, senior PPP members have urged the party to hold an extraordinary meeting to replace chairman Suryadharma Ali, following his failure to lead the party to the targeted 15 percent of votes.

"We want the party to hold an extraordinary meeting to change the leadership of the party," said PPP deputy secretary-general Lukman Hakim Hasibuan.

According to the Center for Vote Tabulation and quick count surveys, the PPP collected around 5 percent of votes, putting it in sixth place.