Megawati Asks Rustriningsih to Quit from PDIP

Semarang, C Java (Antara) - Chief of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDIP) Megawati Soekarnoputri has asked former Central Java governor Rustriningsih to resign from the party if she does not support the party's presidential candidate Joko "Jokowi" Widodo. "PDIP cadres are different from those of other parties. They are always straight and solid, so if she (Rustriningsih) does not follow the general chief's instruction to support Jokowi she had better not join PDIP," Megawati said here on Thursday. Megawati made the statement at a press conference held before a consolidation meeting "Alert 1 PDIP for Jokowi-JK Duo" at the party's provincial office. She added that, however, it was up to Rustriningsih to decide her political stand in the 2014 presidential election. "She has to decide on her own. She has the right (to take her own stand). But I wonder why she supports them (the Prabowo-Hatta presidential duo), while she considers herself to be a PDIP member," Megawati said. She has denied an allegation that the party will sack Rustriningsih. "There is no (plan to sack her). Anyway, we see her as a good cadre," she said. She was shocked to find that the house she had inaugurated as Wisma Mega in Kebumen, Central Java, was now being used as the command post of rival presidential candidate's campaign team. (*) Reported by Wisnu Adhi N.