The internal conflict within PPP, one of the country'€™s oldest political parties, has continued to intensify since the April 9 legislative election, centering on the battle between the camps of Romahurmuziy and Suryadharma.

Suryadharma, who is also the Religious Affairs minister, stripped Romahurmuziy of his secretary general position in an executive meeting, after he deemed that latter's position was illegitimate While claiming to still be the party secretary general. Romahurmuziy days later held his own executive meeting, which resulted in the decision to suspend Suryadharma from the top position and appoint deputy chairman Emron Pangkapi as the acting chairman.

Suryadharma'€™s supporters accused Romahurmuziy of making illegal decisions that were against party's principles.

While still claiming to be the parties chief patron, Suryadharma distributed invitations to party members to attend a plenary executive meeting on Tuesday he said was aimed at '€œseeking reconciliation'€.

But Romahurmuziy'€™s camp slammed the move and called the reconciliation attempt '€œfake'€, given that the letter that was signed by Suryadharma, in his capacity as chairman, and Isa Muhsin, in his capacity as secretary general.

'€œFrom the letter, it is clear that invitation was never originally designed to seek reconciliation. Having Isa sign the letter is an attempt to legitimize a decision made under an illegitimate meeting. Positioning Suryadharma as chairman is also incorrect because he has been suspended,'€ Romahurmuziy said on Monday.

He insisted to go on with his plan to organize a national congress from April 23 to 24 in Bogor, West Java.

'€œWe have extended another invitation to Suryadharma to attend the upcoming congress, which will be the constitutional forum for reconciliation,'€ he said.

The congress will be held to decide PPP'€™s coalition partners ahead the July 9 presidential election and Suryadharma'€™s position in the party, said Romahurmuziy.

'€œThe congress may either accept Suryadharma'€™s reconciliation offer or inaugurate Emron as his successor,'€ Romahurmuziy said.

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