T

he Golkar Party insisted Friday it has no plans to split from the government coalition led by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's Democratic Party despite a political standoff between the parties over the Bank Century bailout inquiry.

Golkar deputy secretary-general Rully Chairul Azwar said a two-day meeting in Jakarta, which is attended by party officials from all regional branches, would discuss the party's position in the coalition amid a growing rift with the Democratic Party.

Analysts say Golkar's decision to question Vice President Boediono and Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati's decision to bail out Bank Century in its final conclusion to the bailout inquiry would be a big blow to the ruling coalition.

Golkar deputy chairman Priyo Budi Santoso said Golkar wanted to work with Yudhoyono until 2014. "We have no plans to leave the coalition," he said.

Golkar legislator Agun Gunanjar Sudarsa said that the party's stance on Century would stay the same, regardless of whether the party stayed with or left the coalition.

Priyo, however, stressed that his party would stick to its current position regarding the Century case, unless a "miracle" occurs a few days before the House of Representatives' plenary session decides on the case early next month.

"We could change course if we find new facts that invalidate our conclusions," he said.

In the meeting's opening speech Friday, Golkar chairman Aburizal Bakrie claimed that Golkar had become an "agenda setter" in the Bank Century case.

He did not explicitly mention his willingness to stay in the coalition, but implied that the party was ready to leave the coalition if it had to.

"In the future, Golkar must know when to walk alone and when to join hands," Aburizal said.

Anas Urbaningrum, the House chairman of the Democratic Party, previously said the President might reshuffle the Cabinet should Golkar stick to its final conclusions.

"It's normal for the President to reshuffle the Cabinet, particularly for ministers from coalition parties that are not committed *to the coalition*," he said.

Meanwhile, the chief patron of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), Taufik Kiemas, said Thursday his party might end its opposition stance in the party's next national congress in April.

"Yes *we would join coalition*, if we are invited to *by the government*," he said, adding that the party might change its political direction after the congress.

"There will be changes in the party's top officials."

Taufik met with President Yudhoyono on Thursday in his capacity as chairman of the People's Consultative Assembly to discuss technical issues on impeachment procedures.

PDI-P legislator and House inquiry team member Ganjar Pranowo, however, said Taufik's statement did not reflect the party's stance.

"To date, all PDI-P cadres follow orders only from our chairwoman, Megawati Soekarnoputri," he said.

Ganjar said Megawati insisted that PDI-P must stay in opposition to the Yudhoyono.