SP/Yeremia Sukoyo – The struggling National Democratic Party is attempting to bolster its ranks with laborers after some 20,000 members burned their membership cards and quit in the wake of former party boss Hary Tanoesoedibjo's high-profile exit.

"It's time for laborers to enter the party and fight for their rights from within," the party's secretary general Patrice Rio Capella said. "Labor rights are part of NasDem's agenda, therefore we hope labor activists can run as legislative candidates in the 2014 election."

Hundreds of laborers had already flocked to the party, he said, as the party established ties with the workers' rights group Mass Labor Movement.

The organization's chairman, Irma Chaniago, said the partnership would give workers a voice in the government. "We want to give the opportunity for laborers to participate in the legislative [process]," Irma said.

The party began losing members last month after media mogul and former chairman Hary quit NasDem after rival Surya Paloh was elected as the party's new chief. Hary accused Surya of changing the direction of the party.

In the following weeks, thousands of NasDem members left the party, some in mass resignations that numbered in the thousands. The party's membership is estimated to have dropped from 65,000 to 45,000. NasDem is the only new party to be given a slot in the 2014 legislative election by the General Elections Commission (KPU).