National Mandate Party Names Vice Presidential Candidate

TEMPO Interactive, Jakarta: National Mandate Party (PAN) decided to join the Democratic Party-led coalition in a meeting in Yogyakarta on Saturday (2/5) the party also nominated its senior member, Hatta Radjasa the current State Secretary as vice presidential candidate to run with President Yudhoyono.Patrialis Akbar a member the Central Council of Leaders of the party said the result was fixed and there will be no more meeting by the party, claiming a unanimious decision. After the closed meeting at Sheraton Hotel Yogyakarta National mandate Party told journalists that mandate to proceed the party's next move based on the meeting result was handed to Amien Rais, head of the party advisory board.Chairman of the party, Sutrisno Bachir did not present when the announcement was made despite his presence at the opening of the meeting. Sutrisno arrived late to open the meeting and provincial party officials from East Java Province walked out of the meeting.Sutrisno said there will another meeting in Jakarta on May 9th. The leading Democratic party is yet to announce its pick for Yudhoyono's running mate as democratic party reluctant to continue its coalition with Golkar. National Mandate party according to the election office publication gained around 6.3 percent of the popular vote the fifth largest party so far. At number four the Prosperous Justice Party with around 8.15 percent of the votes and had proposed its vice presidential candidate to the Democratic Party last week.The opposing coalition, Golkar and People's Conscious Party have announced their candidates on Friday.BERNADA RURIT