G

olkar would rather join with President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's coalition than be left out of power, party officials admitted Tuesday.

The official vote counts Tuesday from several provinces have confirmed unofficial quick counts held by several pollsters that Yudhoyono would win the July 8 presidential election with more than 60 percent of total votes, with Vice President and Golkar chairman Jusuf Kalla getting a mere 12 percent.

Golkar central board member Yorris Raweyai said the party would now very likely join the next government, unless it changed its ideology drastically at the upcoming national conference.

"Golkar must be consistent in its ideology to support the government, although it will remain critical of government policies," he said.

Asked about lobbying for Cabinet posts, Yorris said that was the concern of the president-elect and Golkar leaders.

He added there were now 220 regents and mayors, and seven governors in Golkar's ranks.

"So how can anyone say Golkar will not support the government?" he said.

Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI) political analyst Lili Romli agreed it would most likely be difficult for Golkar to leave the government, having never been out of power since its inception.

Golkar is expected to hold its national caucus between Aug. 8 and 10, after the General Elections Commission (KPU) has announced the official results of the presidential election.

The national meeting will be held to choose Golkar's new chairman to replace the increasingly sidelined Jusuf Kalla.

Coordinating Minister for the People's Welfare Aburizal Bakrie and media magnate Surya Paloh are the strongest candidates for the post.

Golkar upstart Yuddy Chrisnandy has also announced his bid for the party's top seat.

With Aburizal looking increasingly like the odds-on favorite to replace Kalla, it becomes more likely the party will renew its coalition with Yudhoyono, said senior Golkar member Harry Azhar Azis.

Fahmi Idris, the industry minister and head of Kalla's presidential campaign team, also said recently that as a party that had spent all its time as a vital part of the government, Golkar would found it challenging and a little awkward to switch to becoming the opposition.

Golkar member Indra J. Piliang, however, insisted the planned national leadership meeting would focus on discussing the future of the Golkar for the period from 2009 to 2014, and would not just discuss whether to join with Yudhoyono.

"If the president-elect wishes to appoint members of the Golkar Party to his new Cabinet, that will be purely the business of the president-elect, not of the Golkar Party," he said.

He added there had been no internal Golkar discussions about sharing ministerial posts in the upcoming government.

"It's not viable to sacrifice the whole of the Golkar Party simply for the interests of certain people in the party who are seeking ministerial positions," Indra said.

"We should sell out Golkar for such seats."