[10] In 2017, Berkarya announced it would nominate Tommy for the presidency for the 2019-2023 period "to restore Indonesia's glory, such as food self-sufficiency, development and creating justice in the country".
[13] Berkarya claimed to have established its presence in all 34 Indonesian provinces and 514 regencies, in line with verification requirements for parties seeking to contest the 2019 election.
[15] Berkarya filed an objection with the General Election Supervisory Agency (Bawaslu), insisting the party had met all membership requirements.
KPU member Hasyim Asy’ari on 4 January 2018 said the meeting determined Berkarya had met the requirements for verification at the central level.
[25] In February 2018, party secretary general Badaruddin Andi Picunang said Berkarya is targeting 78 seats in the 2019 election, amounting to 13.7% of votes.
Perisai Chairman Tri Joko Susilo said the organization aims to guard Tommy and the party’s agenda, and protect Indonesia from poverty, disintegration and global challenges.
Tri Joko said Perisai will help to restore Indonesia’s glory in food self-sufficiency by promoting the use of organic fertilizers to improve soil quality and yields.
[31] In order to field a candidate in the 2019 presidential election, political parties needed at least 20% of the seats in parliament, or at least 25% of the popular vote, or they could form a coalition to come up with the requisite numbers.
[39] In February 2019, senior Berkarya official Muchdi Purwopranjono announced his support for incumbent President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo, defying the party's endorsement of Prabowo.
[43] Former Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs, Rear Admiral Tedjo Purdijatno, is chairman of the party’s Advisory Council.
Veteran Golkar politician Priyo Budi Santoso in March 2018 accepted Tommy's invitation to join Berkarya as secretary general.
[51] Berkarya experienced its first internal conflict in July 2017 when Central Leadership Board executive Nurul Candrasari, a former Golkar official, was dismissed from her position.
[54] The Justice and Human Rights Ministry on 30 July 2020 issued two decrees ratifying changes made by the Muchdi faction to Berkarya's management, statutes and bylaws.
[55] Berkarya secretary general Priyo Budi Santoso said Tommy would seek clarification from Justice and Human Rights Minister Yasonna Laoly.
Priyo said the issuance of the decrees was absurd and a disgrace to democracy because Muchdi's national meeting was illegal and most of the party's provincial chapters remained loyal to Tommy.
[56] Tommy on 14 August 2020 said his party had filed a civil case with the State Administrative Court, aimed at having the Justice Ministry's two decrees revoked.
[57] Badaruddin Andi Picunang claimed Muchdi's national conference was held at the request of two-thirds of Berkarya's provincial and central officials.
[58][59] After the Muchdi faction was endorsed by the Justice Ministry, Badaruddin said Berkarya had automatically annulled all of its recommendations for candidates in regional elections throughout Indonesia.
[60] On 15 August 2020, Yudi Relawanto, the secretary of Muchdi's Munaslub, cast doubt on the legitimacy of the conference, saying some of the participants were "ghosts" - meaning the number of actual attendees was not as many as those listed.
[61] On 5 February 2021, Priyo Budi Santoso, the secretary general of the pro-Tommy faction of Berkarya, claimed Justice and Human Rights Minister Yasonna Laoly was willing to acknowledge Tommy as the legitimate leader of the party.
[64] Berkarya secretary general Badaruddin Andi Picunang in March 2018 confirmed convicted murderer Pollycarpus Budihari Priyanto had joined the party.
[69] In January 2018, the chairman of the Regional Leadership Council (DPW) of Berkarya's South Kalimantan chapter, Abdul Latif, was arrested by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) for allegedly accepting a Rp1 billion bribe related to a hospital project.
[73] On 28 September 2019, police arrested Berkarya legislative candidate Sony Santoso, a retired Navy first admiral, on suspicion of leading a plot to detonate bombs in Jakarta's Chinatown district on the same day.