W

hile rival camps in the Golkar Party are getting close to securing a deal to end a month-long standoff that would allow the party to contest upcoming local elections, the Islamic-based United Development Party (PPP) has in recent weeks seen its worst infighting over who should have control of the party.

The Djan Faridz-led camp and the Muhammad '€œRomy'€ Romahurmuziy-led camp have so far failed to come to the negotiating table, further dimming the party'€™s prospects of contesting the 269 regional elections set to take place simultaneously throughout the country on Dec. 9.

Although the elites of the two camps are aware of the urgency to settle the dispute as the deadline for parties to register their candidates with the General Elections Commission (KPU) looms, neither side has been willing to take the initiative to start a dialogue.

'€œWe offered a truce in the past. We even proposed the establishment of a reconciliation team to mediate the two factions, but the other camp rejected it,'€ the deputy chairman of the Djan-led camp, Epyardi Asda, told The Jakarta Post on Wednesday.

Epyardi, who was appointed by Djan to lead the PPP faction at the House of Representatives, further blamed the worsening rift on Romy and his supporters for '€œarbitrarily'€ taking control of the party by putting their men in key positions in the party'€™s local branches.

As the first stage of the local elections nears '€” registration for candidates opens on June 28 '€” the Djan-led camp is open to restarting a dialogue, considering the risk of failing to reconcile, Epyardi said.

'€œBut on one condition: They [Romy-led camp] must make the first move to approach us with no ulterior motive,'€ he said.

Epyardi said the situation was dire as many party members were considering abandoning the party to join the tickets of other political parties.

Epyardi himself is expected to run in the West Sumatra gubernatorial election on the PPP ticket.

'€œIt'€™s a crucial time for many of us,'€ Epyardi said.

The power struggle within the PPP dates back to the days approaching the presidential election last year over the different stances of members on political support for the two contesting pairs: the Joko '€œJokowi'€ Widodo-Jusuf Kalla ticket and the Prabowo Subianto-Hatta Rajasa ticket.

Then PPP chairman Suryadharma Ali announced PPP'€™s support for Prabowo, a decision that was eventually challenged by Romy and his followers, who claimed the chairmanship after the presidential election and pledged to support President Jokowi'€™s administration.

In February, the Jakarta State Administrative Court (PTUN) annulled a Law and Human Rights Ministry decree that officially recognized Romy'€™s leadership and thus returned control over the PPP to Djan, who was elected chairman to replace Suryadharma after the latter was named a graft suspect by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPU).

Law and Human Rights Minister Yasonna H. Laoly, however, has filed a lawsuit with the State Administrative High Court (PTTUN) to challenge the ruling.

The PTTUN is expected to announce its ruling next month.

Hasrul Azwar, an executive from the Romy-led camp, said he was convinced that a ruling by the PTTUN would not necessarily end the standoff as the each camp would certainly challenge the decision.

'€œThus, reconciliation seems the best way. But we don'€™t know how to start it because both factions are equally selfish,'€ Hasrul told the Post.