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everal prominent retired Indonesian Military (TNI) generals have flocked to the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), hoping to be selected by party chairwoman Megawati Soekarnoputri as the running mate for the party'€™s presidential candidate, Joko '€œJokowi'€ Widodo.

PDI-P politicians have suggested that a few high-profile retired TNI generals would make a strong vice presidential pick, as would civilian leaders such as former vice president Jusuf Kalla, Bank Indonesia Governor Agus Martowardojo, tycoon Chairul Tanjung, former House of Representatives speaker Akbar Tandjung and former Constitutional Court chief justice Mahfud MD.

But in recent days, Megawati appears to have warmed to the idea of having someone with a military or police background share the ticket with Jokowi.

A source close to Megawati said the chairwoman had nixed the idea of choosing Kalla. Megawati had been eyeing three former generals: the 63-year-old former Army chief of staff, Ryamizard Ryacudu, the 66-year-old former Army Education and Training commander, Luhut Panjaitan, and the 62-year-old former National Police chief, Da'€™i Bachtiar.

Other sources within the PDI-P confirmed that Megawati had narrowed down her choice to between Ryamizard and Luhut.

Megawati is said to have dropped Da'€™i from the list even though he is known to have close ties with top PDI-P figures. Da'€™i was dismissed from his position as National Police chief by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono in 2005, two years before his retirement.

Both Ryamizard and Luhut have close ties to Megawati. Ryamizard and his father, Brig. Gen. (ret) Ryacudu, have been reported to be loyalists to the Sukarno family.

Ryamizard was promoted to be the Army chief of staff in 2002 under Megawati'€™s presidential administration and shortly before Megawati left office in 2004, Ryamizard was nominated to become TNI commander.

But Megawati'€™s successor, Yudhoyono, passed on Ryamizard for the top post, instead picking air chief marshal Djoko Suyanto, who is now coordinating political, legal, and security affairs minister and one of Yudhoyono'€™s closest confidants.

Luhut, meanwhile, has made no secret of his ambition to get a spot on the ticket. He held a press conference only hours after the PDI-P announced Jokowi'€™s presidential nomination, praising Megawati for the decision.

Luhut is now the deputy chairman of the Golkar Party'€™s advisory council.

As a Christian and a native of North Sumatra, Luhut is also expected to be able to attract votes from minority groups and non-Javanese citizens, although his background could also drive away Muslim voters.

Luhut told The Jakarta Post he was vying to be Jokowi'€™s running mate. '€œIt'€™s all up to Megawati.'€

Analysts have said that a PDI-P retired general vice presidential candidate could backfire.

'€œThe PDI-P could lose its support from Papua if Ryamizard was nominated as vice presidential candidate because some of the most atrocious military operations in the region were carried out under his leadership,'€ said a human rights advocate from the organization Imparsial, Al Araf.

Several PDI-P executives, however, also hinted at the possibility of TNI Commander Gen. Moeldoko being nominated as Jokowi'€™s running mate.

Moeldoko has indicated uncertainty as to whether he would become Jokowi'€™s running mate should he be offered a spot on the presidential ticket. '€œIf I were to refuse the offer then everybody would call me
arrogant but if I said yes, well the fact is that I am still carrying out my duty as the military commander. Therefore, I would focus my energy on the latter right now,'€ Moeldoko told the Post.

Meanwhile, hundreds of retired military officers declared their support for the presidential bid of Gerindra chief patron Prabowo Subianto, a former commander of the Army'€™s Special Forces (Kopassus). Among those pledging support is Lt. Gen. (ret) Yunus Yosfiah '€” a former Kopassus captain during Indonesia'€™s 1975 invasion of East Timor.

Dicky Christanto also contributes to the story