Suryadharma boasts major support in lead up to PPP election

Incumbent United Development Party (PPP) chairman Suryadharma Ali says he has secured the majority of the party’s noted and influential cadres, or around 70 percent of votes as the PPP chairman elections draw nearer.

“I feel honored to learn that the majority of my party colleagues are still behind me this time, despite the accusation that I should be held responsible for the party's failure to get more votes in the 2009 general elections,” Suryadharma said Sunday as quoted by kompas.com.

PPP intends to elect a new chairman at its annual meeting scheduled to take place in Bandung from July 3 to 7.

Suryadharma added that many of his supporters were from branch offices in Kalimantan, West and East Nusa Tenggara, Yogyakarta, East Java, South Sumatra, Banten and Lampung.

Besides Suryadharma, who is also the minister of religious affairs, two other party cadres also plan to contend for the position in the upcoming race: Achmad Muqowwam and Muchdi Purwopranjono.