Amid rumors that figures in his administration had worked behind the scenes to manipulate outcomes at the Democratic Party'€™s national congress in Surabaya, East Java, President Joko '€œJokowi'€ Widodo pledged to work with the Democratic Party for the good of the nation on Tuesday.

In his speech at the opening ceremony of the Democratic Party'€™s fourth national congress, President Jokowi said the success of his administration would rely on the support of all political parties, including the Democratic Party.

'€œDifferences don'€™t have to create political complications, as it will interfere with the economy,'€ Jokowi said.

Jokowi called for unity to achieve the nation'€™s common goals.

'€œI believe with the Democratic Party'€™s fourth congress people are waiting for us to complete our mission. They are waiting for us to manage differences to achieve a greater national goal,'€ he said.

Bringing together more than 500 leaders of the party'€™s provincial and regional branches, the two-day congress will include deliberations on several key issues, including a review of the party'€™s standing orders and the election of the party'€™s new chairman.

A few hours before the opening ceremony, the party named incumbent chairman and former president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono the sole candidate for party chief, as no other candidate had registered by the end of the registration period on Tuesday.

In a pre-recorded interview uploaded to his YouTube channel shortly before the congress kicked-off, Yudhoyono expressed concern over the Jokowi administration'€™s alleged intervention attempt.

However, Yudhoyono '€” who took over the party'€™s leadership from Anas Urbaningrum in 2013 after the latter was named a graft suspect by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) '€” did not raise the issue when Jokowi was present at the opening ceremony, instead making a pledge to providing the necessary support for the government.

'€œAs a balancing power, the Democratic Party is not a part of the [ruling] Great Indonesia Coalition or the [opposition], but we are ready to be a part of the solution,'€ he said.

Cofounding the Democratic Party in 2001, Yudhoyono'€™s reelection was considered inevitable, with the majority of executives from the party'€™s local branches and the central board declaring support for the former president even before the congress began.

Earlier on Tuesday, a member of the party'€™s central board, Ulil Abshar Abdalla, warned the government and members of the ruling coalition about interfering in the party'€™s internal affairs. Speaking at a press conference, Ulil accused the government of supporting a splinter group within the party that sought to oppose Yudhoyono'€™s reelection.

Such an intervention, Ulil said, could trigger a leadership dispute within the party as has occurred in Golkar Party and the United Development Party (PPP).

'€œWe are really concerned over a scenario where a dual-leadership within the party is provoked [into being], which would then give the government the opportunity to step in and legalize one of them,'€ he said.

Political analyst Airlangga Pribadi of the Surabaya-based Airlangga University, however, said the Democratic Party had no cause for alarm, as there was currently no major friction with the ruling coalition.

'€œYudhoyono'€™s unmatched popularity and influence within the party will also make it hard for any alternative, government-sponsored candidate to challenge his leadership,'€ he said.

Jokowi'€™s attendance at the congress was not confirmed until Tuesday afternoon, when the President decided to make a brief stop in Surabaya after completing a six-day visit to Papua New Guinea and four eastern Indonesian provinces.

In an off-the-cuff remark at the congress, Jokowi said it was Democratic Party politician Ruhut Sitompul who had cajoled him into coming to Surabaya.

'€œPak SBY, you should give Pak Ruhut Sitompul an award. He called me up three times while I was in Jayapura, Merauke and Papua New Guinea, saying something like '€˜I am sorry Mr. President, but as your loyal supporter, I want you to come to the congress,'€™'€ he chuckled.

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