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A family fracas has broken out after a senior person within the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle suggested that Megawati Sukarnoputri would retire as party chairwoman after contesting July 8’s presidential elections, whatever the result.

It had been assumed by most political observers that Puan Maharani, the former president’s daughter with Taufik Kiemas, was the heir apparent to take over the leadership of the party (PDI-P).

But Megawati’s youngest brother, Guruh Sukarnoputra, moved on Friday to say that he was the perfect candidate to fill the position.

Guruh, a choreographer-cum-politician, had previously launched a half-hearted challenge to Megawati’s leadership of the party.

He said that Puan was too young for the responsibility of leading what is in effect a family political dynasty built on the memory of the nation’s first president, Sukarno.

He said that he was proud of Puan’s achievements, including her knowledge of politics and her concern for matters related to the nation’s problems.

“But her ability is not yet developed enough to lead the party. Maybe in the next ten or twenty years she will make a suitable leader,” Guruh said during a press conference in Jakarta to mark next Monday’s Pancasila Day.

Guruh, however, put himself forward as the perfect candidate for the job, saying he met all the requirements necessary to lead the PDI-P.

“I have been ready to lead PDI-P since 1991 when I put my name forth to be this country’s leader,” he said.

However, Guruh, whose private life has often been the focus of media attention, also said that any decision related to who would be the next leader of PDI-P should be decided by Megawati.

“You can ask Puan’s mother [Megawati] but her uncle — me — would disagree [if Puan were elected as the next PDI-P Chairwoman],” he said.

Megawati’s younger sister, Sukmawati Sukarnoputri, also agreed with Guruh, saying “It is not yet [Puan’s] time.”

Meanwhile, Andreas Pareira, a senior PDI-P member from West Java, said on Friday that he did not know about the party’s plan regarding Megawati’s replacement.

He also said that any talk about Megawati and Puan would harm the party’s objective to get Megawati elected as president.

“I believe that outsiders and competitors are trying to divide PDI-P by raising such issues,” he said, without naming names .

Puan was in Solo yesterday to join the second declaration of Mega-Prabowo as presidential hopefuls and she could not be contacted on her cell phone for comment.