The Golkar Party rekindled ties with an erstwhile ally from the opposition bloc on Saturday night as signs of cracks within the “grand old party”-led United Indonesia Coalition (KIB) began to crop up after one of the partners nominated popular governor Ganjar Pranowo as its presidential candidate for 2024.

Golkar chair Airlangga Hartarto and several party executives visited former president and opposition Democratic Party's founder Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, also known as SBY, on Saturday evening in his private residence in Cikeas, Bogor, West Java.

Yudhoyono's two sons, Democratic Party chief Agus Harimurti and deputy chief Edhi Baskoro "Ibas," and loyalist Andi Mallarangeng were seen welcoming Airlangga, who later spent about an hour with Yudhoyono in the library inside the house.

Speaking in a press conference after the meeting, Airlangga and Agus recounted 10 years of partnership that Golkar and the Democrats had when they allied in the pro-government alliance that backed Yudhoyono’s two-term administration between 2004 and 2014.

"Golkar and the Democrats were partners. We have a history that we both understand,” Airlangga said.

Despite now being at opposite ends, the two party leaders said they were still able to see eye to eye on some issues, such as their shared opposition to return to a closed-list legislative election, identity politics and a winner-takes-all syndrome in the coming general elections.

"It feels appropriate for the two parties, Golkar and the Democratic Party, to sit together and discuss the various possibilities that we may face in the future. Of course, the spirit is how to make Indonesia more advanced, prosperous, democratic and civilized," Agus said.

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