18-10-2023 (JAKARTA) The presidential candidate of Indonesia’s ruling party is poised to unveil his choice for a running mate on Wednesday, marking a critical juncture in the last-minute political maneuvers by the nation’s power players as they seek to consolidate alliances in preparation for the 2024 election.
The world’s third-largest democracy is gearing up for the February polls, where voters will select a new leader to replace President Joko Widodo, colloquially known as Jokowi, who has reached the maximum limit of two terms in office.
Ganjar Pranowo, a 54-year-old representative of the Indonesian Democratic Party-Struggle (PDI-P), is anticipated to select senior cabinet minister Mahfud MD as his running mate, as suggested by Osman Sapta Odang, the head of one of the four parties supporting their ticket.
Opinion polls indicate that Ganjar, a former governor of Central Java, is in a tight race with Defence Minister Prabowo Subianto, 72, who is making his third bid for the presidency. Prabowo narrowly lost to Jokowi in 2014 and again in 2019.
While Prabowo has yet to reveal his choice for a running mate, speculation abounds that he may join forces with Jokowi’s son, Gibran Rakabuming Raka. This speculation gained momentum following a controversial ruling earlier this week by the nation’s top court that cleared the path for the 36-year-old to contest the 2024 election.
Ganjar’s other potential running mates include Bandung city Mayor Ridwan Kamil, Tourism Minister Sandiaga Uno, and former military chief Andika Perkasa, as indicated by party insiders.
A legal practitioner known for his close ties to PDI-P chair Megawati Sukarnoputri, Mahfud MD was almost chosen as vice president in 2019 to run alongside Jokowi. However, he was dropped from the ticket at the last moment in favor of an Islamic cleric.
Several major political parties were scheduled to hold crucial meetings on Wednesday, just one day before the candidates and their running mates were set to register and present their policy agendas to the election commission. The registration period remains open until October 25.
In the presidential race, former Jakarta governor Anies Baswedan is also a contender, but he currently lags in public opinion polls.
