The political fortunes of the National Awakening Party were dealt another blow on Tuesday, after a spokesperson for Zannuba Arifah Chafsoh said a rival party would be launched.

Zannuba, better known as Yenny Wahid, the daughter of the late former President Abdurrahman "Gus Dur" Wahid, is expected to officially announce the formation of the splinter party at the end of the official 40-day mourning period. Gus Dur passed away on Dec. 30.

Imron Rosyadi Hamid, a spokesman for PKB Kalibata, a rival faction of the National Awakening Party, or PKB, said the decision to form a new party was reached after a meeting at Gus Dur's former residence in Ciganjur, South Jakarta, on Monday.

PKB Kalibata is led by Yenny and named after the area in South Jakarta where the faction's offices are based. "We are arranging the party structure now," Imron said. "Hopefully, we will be able to hold a national meeting in March or April."

He said the rival party, which is yet to be named, would follow the teachings of Gus Dur. He added that the former president was considered a true reformer and nationalist – known both for his secular beliefs and moderate religious views.

PKB Kalibata, he said, had received the support of more than 100 senior clerics within Nahdlatul Ulama, the nation's largest Islamic organization.

Nahdlatul Ulama was founded by Wahid's grandfather, Hasyim Asya'ri. Gus Dur was its longtime chairman before he was encouraged to establish the PKB after the downfall of Suharto in 1998.

A split could prove disastrous for the PKB. The party received just 4.9 percent of the vote in last year's legislative elections, down from 10.6 percent in 2004 when Gus Dur was at the helm.