05/03/09 07:10

Kalla reveals why he broke with

Yudhoyono

Makasar (ANTARA News) - Golkar Party Chairman Jusuf Kalla here Saturday disclosed some of the political communication he conducted with President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono before he decided to part with the Democratic Party for the presidential race.

"As many as three times, I told President Yudhoyono that Golkar still wanted to remain a partner, but every time the answer was yes, we will be together, no clear answer. If it`s yes, then say yes. If it`s no, then say no. So it meant, well, let us just part. Golkar is not begging for any position," Kalla said.

Speaking at a get-together with the leaders of Golkar Party`s district-level branches in South Sulawesi, Kalla said Yudhoyono eventually forwarded certain conditions for a coalition between his party and Golkar which in effect rejected him (Kalla).

"Yudhoyono even set certain conditions. I had been serving as his vice president, still he set conditions. This was just a way to say no , meaning there was no sincerity. We, Golkar, felt our self-respect was compromised," Kalla said.

"Because we felt we were being belittled, Golkar eventually decided to seperate from the Demoratic Party," he said.

Kalla also said he was now facing many obstacles posed by people within as well as outside the Golkar Party in his bid to run for president.

"Certain elements in the party claiming to represent Golkar`s 320 district branches are against my bid. But when I checked, they only proved to represent themselves, somebody paid them. I ordered the police to arrest those people who misused the party`s name," Kalla said.

He said to become a great party, Golkar must be prepared to either win the elections or become an opposition party. "Right now, many Golkar members already feel defeated even before taking up the cudgels,` he said.(*)