WITH the presidential and general elections barely two months away, Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) has picked the critical moment to hold a three-day national ulamas conference last week. The meet held at the Citangkolo Mifahul Huda Al-Azhar Islamic school in Banjar City, West Java, drew thousands of attendees and among the audience at the opening ceremony were President Joko Widodo and some of his ministers.

Political observers liken the event of NU&mdas