Eros vows to challenge Megawati again

KARANGANYAR, Central Java (JP): Outspoken politician Eros Djarot has continued his fight against the renomination of incumbent Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) chief Megawati Soekarnoputri.

Eros, the former chief editor of DeTik magazine, renewed his challenge on Sunday by calling for party members not to vote for Megawati in order to pave her way for the presidency.

Speaking at a seminar, he suggested that Megawati, who is also the vice president, be given a place in the party's consultative board as her duties there would be less demanding.

Megawati, he said, should be given a chance to concentrate on her current vice presidential job, because her future political career would depend much on her performance as vice president.

The party is due to hold its congress in the provincial capital Semarang from March 26 to March 31. The election of the party chief will be the highlight of the event.

If reelected, Megawati will join Amien Rais and Akbar Tandjung as a high state officials who keep party top posts. Amien, who is the People's Consultative Assembly speaker, won his second successive term as the National Mandate Party chief earlier this month, while House of Representatives Speaker Akbar Tandjung chairs the Golkar Party.

Eros, who has repeatedly expressed his readiness to replace Megawati as the party's chairman, reiterated that his open criticism was aimed at strengthening and politically educating the party's supporters.

He said, however, that his persistent challenges had been suspected by "a number of elites" within the party as a move to undermine Megawati's leadership.

The criticism has sparked rumors of a rift within the party, which won the most votes in last year's general election.

However, party deputy chairman Theo Syafe'i discounted the talk of a rift on Sunday, saying the emergence of alternative candidates to Megawati for party chief was welcomed.

Meanwhile, Mardijo, chairman of the party's chapter in Central Java, said the support for Megawati's reelection in the province was strong. (har/byg)