Indonesia - Kiai Haji Fawaid As'ad does not fit the stereotype of a powerful religious leader.
The 35-year-old cleric is way too young and brash.
He chain-smokes and lacks the modesty that is the mark of a senior cleric here.
But he leads a chain of pesantrens or Islamic boarding schools where some 19,000 students study.
Among them is the Salafiyah Safi'iyah Pesantren in the village of Sukorejo where he lives and teaches.
But his reach is far beyond the school, with the pesantrens boasting of thousands of alumni. Those in his hometown and surrounding villages also look up to him for advice and counselling.
And that is what makes him every political party's dream vote-getter.
In East Java, which is often referred to as the region of pesantren, clerics like him wield more influence than any political leader.
The thousands of pesantren are mostly affiliated to the Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), the country's largest Islamic grouping, making them the largest constituent for the National Awakening Party (PKB), which was founded by NU's former chairman Abdurrahman Wahid.
Within the NU's social structure, the kiais, a term reserved for popular clerics, occupy the highest ranks.
Many come from families of landowners who actively disseminated religious teachings in their community over a century ago.
Some are said to have supernatural abilities, such as the gift of being able to foresee the future and are often consulted on political matters by figures such as Mr Abdurrahman.
In the last few months, politicians from different political parties have been landing up at their door steps to seek their backing.
The celebrity list includes President Megawati Sukarnoputri's husband Taufik Kiemas, Golkar chairman Akbar Tandjung and presidential contender Wiranto.
National Assembly Speaker Amien Rais and former president Suharto's eldest daughter Siti 'Tutut' Hardijanti Rukmana, too, joined in to visit the kiais.
Last month, five presidential hopefuls - Mr Amien, Mr Wiranto, Ms Tutut, Mr Abdurrahman and Mr Akbar - barely missed each other as they separately visited a Muslim boarding school in Wonosobo, Central Java on the same day.
Said Kiai Idris Marzuki, who has received four presidential contenders at his Lirboyo pesantren in Kediri: 'People have suddenly realised that NU is a powerful voting bloc, so they are eagerly courting us.'
The guests do not come empty-handed.
Mr Taufik, who has tipped NU chairman Hasyim Muzadi as a likely running mate for the incumbent president, is known to have given money and cars to the pesantren he has visited.
The clerics usually do not give away their preferences.
But some of those that do - like Kiai Fawaid, who left PKB for the United Development Party (PPP) early this year - can greatly influence their followers.
'I have followers and it is my responsibility to prevent them from voting for the wrong party,' he said.
The growing politicisation of the NU clerics, however, is threatening to derail their solidity.
One particular issue that is affecting their unity is whether they should back Mr Abdurrahman's presidential bid this year.
A group of senior clerics have publicly expressed their backing for his nomination.
But dozens others have refused given Gus Dur's removal from the presidency in 2001. They also now point to his blindness and poor health.
To settle these differences, NU is set to hold a national congress of ulamas after the legislative election this month.
Mr Ali Machsan Moesa, the head of NU's East Java chapter, said: 'The ulamas will have to endorse only one presidential candidate so NU members would not be split in their supports.'
But many political observers believe the clerics should steer clear from politics and concentrate instead on being moral leaders.