Made Arya Kencana & Anita Rachman – Supporters of Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle leader Megawati Sukarnopoutri claimed she was a shoe-in to retain her post as chairwoman when her leadership is put to the vote at the party's annual congress to be held in Bali this week.
"A total of 495 party branches and 33 local boards have directed their votes to Mega," said Puan Maharani, Megawati's daughter. "There is no possibility whatsoever for any other candidate to chair the party," she said.
Puan is chairing the committee for the congress of the party, also known as the PDI-P, to be held from Tuesday to Friday.
"The party will go dizzy if she refuses to chair it, and she will end up chairing it," PDI-P lawmaker Maruarar Sirait said.
The congress will be attended by top politicians including former Vice President Jusuf Kalla and Yogyakarta Governor Sri Sultan Hamengkubuwono X. Megawati's younger brother Guruh Sukarnoputra put his hand up last year to run for the PDI-P's top post, although it is widely expected that Megawati will be re-elected.
The question of who will take over the leadership from Megawati when she eventually retires, however, has sparked persistent speculation.
Cecep Effendi, a political analyst at the Indonesian Institute, told the Jakarta Globe on Sunday that if the PDI-P re-elected Megawati to another term it would demonstrate the party's failure to create a new generation of leaders.
"If they come up with the same strategy as the did in [the] 2004 and 2009 [presidential elections] they will fail. Megawati doesn't sell anymore. Their votes are diminishing," Cecep said. "If PDI-P wants to dominate the 2014 election, they should give the position of chairperson to a new, more popular leader."
Puan, Megawati's daughter with husband Taufik Kiemas, a senior PDI-P member and speaker of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR), is widely believed to be the heir apparent to take over the party.
Puan is running against her half-brother Prananda Prabowo, Megawati's son with her fist husband, for the new role of deputy chair of the party. However, some believe a more viable candidate for the future would be seasoned politician Pramono Anung, the PDI-P's secretary general.
Megawati opted to run for president with Hasyim Muzadi, former chairman of the 40 million-strong Nahdlatul Ulama, the largest Islamic organization in Indonesia, for the 2004 presidential elections, which she lost to Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.
In the 2009 elections, she ran as a presidential hopeful with former Army Gen. Prabowo Subianto, the leader of the Great Indonesia Movement Party (Gerindra). Once again, she lost to Yudhoyono. "She should be aware by now that her time has passed," Cecep said.
However, Maruarar said Megawati was the ultimate unifier. "There is no one like her," he said, adding that he was confident she will still sell as a presidential candidate in 2014.
"Look how consistent we have been in the PT Bank Century scandal. People do not forget. We said no to all temptations!" Maruarar said, referring to the PDI-P's refusal to adopt a softer stance during the bailout probe.