SBY summons Andi ahead of Democratic Party congress

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has summoned aspiring Democratic Party chairman Andi Mallarangeng at his private residence in Cikeas in the West Java town of Bogor ahead of the party’s congress in Bandung.

Yudhoyono, who is the party’s chief patron, received Andi, who was accompanied by a number of party patrons, including Cooperative Minister Syarif Hassan, Transportation Minister Freddy Numberi and Tourism Minister Jero Wacik, on Wednesday night.

Presidential spokesman Julian Aldrin Pasha confirmed the meeting on Thursday, but said he was not aware of the intention of the talk.

“I can confirm that only Andi and a number of Cabinet ministers went to Cikeas last night. But I don’t know the agenda and content of the meeting,” Julian said as quoted by kompas.com.

Andi, who is the Sports Minister, is vying for the Democratic Party chief post during the party’s congress, which will open on Friday. Other candidates for the top party job are Anas Urbaningrum, the party’s chairman at the House of Representatives, and House speaker Marzuki Alie.

Yudhoyono has never displayed his choice of new chairman of the party which he founded, but the meeting on Wednesday was the clearest signal so far of his preference. His son Edhie Baskoro has been campaigning for Andi’s election as the party chairman.