Adianto P. Simamora, Jakarta – After declaring their bids for the presidency, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Vice President Jusuf Kalla are said to have not communicated, raising concerns on the continued effectiveness of the outgoing government.

Yudhoyono and Kalla made their last appearance together at the National Development Planning Consultation (Musrembangnas) last week at a hotel in South Jakarta. At that time Yudhoyono asserted the two had maintained their close working ties despite their rivalry.

A close aid to Kalla, Zainal Bintang, however, said the opposite. He said that the presidential office no longer contacted Kalla to remind him of cabinet meetings.

"Pak Kalla has neither been involved nor invited by the President to sit in cabinet meetings," Zainal of the Golkar Party told The Jakarta Post on Friday. "The government is now like a plane that is flying with one wing. It clearly shows disharmony between the two leaders."

Kalla, who is also the Golkar chairman, has picked Wiranto from the People's Conscience Party (Hanura) as his running mate for the July 8 presidential election. President Yudhoyono has appointed Bank Indonesia Governor Boediono as his vice presidential candidate.

Yudhoyono and Kalla have recently been involved in media rivalry, with each taking credit for the government's successes.

Kalla decided to contest the race after Yudhoyono and his Democratic Party used procedures which made Kalla wait in uncertainty, not knowing whether he would continue their partnership, or not.

The absence of communications, or of a common position, was clear when they made contrasting remarks about the crash of the Air Force Hercules plane in the East Java town of Magetan on Wednesday, which killed over 100 people.

Kalla said the accident reflected the limited budget for military aircraft maintenance. But Yudhoyono quickly refuted this viewpoint, claiming out that routine spending, including on operational and maintenance budgets, was adequate.

On Friday, Kalla met several groups of people in Bandung, West Java including the Pasundan community to rally support for his election. West Java Governor Ahmad Heryawan attended the meeting. In his capacity as the Vice President, Kalla visited the Army's arms maker PT Pindad in the West Java capital.

President Yudhoyono toured Surabaya, where he met about 60 Muslim clerics behind closed doors. State Secretary Hatta Radjasa, whoheads Yudhoyono's campaign team, accompanied the President.

Presidential spokesman Andi Mallarangeng denied reports of disharmony between the two or of any adverse impact on the government.

"There is no need to worry about the government's performance. As the incumbent, the President is tasked with running the government, and if people deem it is good, it will of course benefit him," Andi was quoted by Antara news agency.

Maswadi Rauf of the University of Indonesia said government was no longer effective due to rivalry. "It is a lie if the two say they could run the government together until October," he said.

Maswadi, a professor of politics, suggested Kalla step down from his post for the good of the government.

[Suherdjoko and Yuli Tri Suwarni contributed to the story from Semarang and Bandung.]