Senior Democratic Party politicians said that the party's presidential primary would have never been held if former chairman Anas Urbaningrum was not charged with corruption.
According to Melanie Leimena Suharly, deputy chairman of Democratic Party supervisory body, the party was set to nominate Anas to run in the 2014 presidential election.
“He [Anas] fits all the requirements for the nomination. But everything changed following the graft allegations against him,” Melanie told reporters at the House of Representatives on Friday.
Hayono Isman, a member of the party's supervisory body, concurred, emphasizing that the Democratic Party was left with no choice but to hold the convention. “We, members of the party were expecting Anas to be the youngest presidential candidate. But, we had no other choice [after Anas left],” Hayono said.
The Democratic Party has claimed that at least 10 candidates have agreed to participate in the party's September convention. The party's leadership said that at least 16 individuals would be selected to sit in a committee tasked with selecting candidates during the convention.
source:http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2013/08/03/anas-was-groomed-president-dems.html
