T

he National Mandate Party (PAN) and the United Development Party (PPP), which had both reportedly been gravitating toward a coalition with the Gerindra Party, may now, according to new reports, form an alliance of medium-sized parties with the ruling Democratic Party.

Speculation regarding a move to form a Democrat-led coalition of medium-sized parties, often called the '€œcentral axis'€, emerged after party chairman President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono reportedly canceled a planned meeting with Gerindra'€™s presidential nominee Prabowo Subianto on Tuesday.

Previously, Gerindra members had said the meeting could result in a Democratic Party-Gerindra coalition.

Instead, the President held an impromptu meeting on the party'€™s ongoing presidential convention at his residence in Cikeas, West Java, on Tuesday evening.

The convention was almost called off after the party'€™s weak showing in the legislative election '€” but now the possibility of creating an alliance of medium parties has raised hope that the winner of the convention could become a presidential candidate.

'€œFrom the beginning, the convention was held to produce a presidential hopeful, not a vice presidential hopeful,'€ senior Democratic Party politician and Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Jero Wacik said on Wednesday. '€œWe will weigh the possibility of fielding our own presidential candidate.'€

Committee secretary Suaidi Marasabessy echoed Jero'€™s comments, saying that Yudhoyono, in his capacity as the chairman of party'€™s supreme assembly, had decided to resume the convention, which was suspended after the legislative election.

'€œWe will soon hold a final debate for the 11 contenders in Jakarta before the end of this month and a final survey to see their electability,'€ Jero said. He added the general assembly would have the final say after considering the results of the debate and survey.

The results are scheduled to be announced sometime early next month, Suaidi said.

Meanwhile, Gerindra deputy chairman Fadli Zon downplayed the significance of Yudhoyono cancelling the meeting, saying that Prabowo and the President were still communicating via telephone. '€œWe are still looking for an appropriate time for the meeting,'€ he said as quoted by Antara.

Jero declined to comment on the cancellation.

Also on Wednesday, PAN chairman and Coordinating Economic Minister Hatta Rajasa, mentioned as a strong candidate to be Prabowo'€™s running mate, acknowledged that the party had yet to reach a deal with Gerindra. '€œWe will keep approaching the parties. Any kind of coalition can happen, whether it is with the PDI-P [Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle] or Democratic Party,'€ said Hatta, who is also Yudhoyono'€™s in-law.

Analysts have suggested that Hatta'€™s family ties with Yudhoyono could help push PAN into a Yudhoyono-led coalition.

Hatta said he had not ruled out the possibility of joining forces with the medium-sized parties.

Meanwhile, conflict within PPP has continued to escalate after party chairman and Religious Affairs Minister Suryadharma Ali stripped deputy chairman Suharso Monoarfa, as well as leaders of the party'€™s provincial branches in West Java, East Java, North Sumatra, South Sulawesi and Central Kalimantan, of their positions on Wednesday.

Suryadharma'€™s purge was allegedly prompted by mounting challenges over his leadership of the party, following his '€œunauthorized'€ participation in a major Gerindra rally at Bung Karno Stadium last month. During the event, he publicly expressed his support for Prabowo'€™s presidential bid.

After the rally, as many as 27 PPP regional branch leaders filed a motion of no confidence against Suryadharma'€™s chairmanship, saying his presence at Gerindra'€™s rally was unethical and in violation of the party'€™s statute.