TEMPO.CO, Jakarta -Deputy Chairman of the Gerindra Party Board of Trustees Hashim Djojohadikusumo said his party is open to running for Central Java Governor Ganjar Pranowo in the 2024 Presidential Election. The conditions, he said, were Prabowo remaining as a presidential candidate is an absolute decision.
“I think it’s open if Pak Ganjar wants to join Pak Prabowo with the record that Pak Prabowo is a presidential candidate,” said Hashim at the Prabowo Mania 08 declaration event in Menteng, Central Jakarta, Sunday, March 12, 2023.
Hashim closed Prabowo’s option to become a vice presidential candidate. According to him, Prabowo is far more senior than Ganjar. Their age difference is 15 years. According to Hashim, seniority is a guarantee of more mature experience in politics. “I think we are open if Pak Ganjar wants to partner with Pak Prabowo,” he said.
Discourse pairing Prabowo-reward emerged after the two of them were seen accompanying President Jokowi at a harvest event in Kebumen, Central Java some time ago. Jokowi, Prabowo and Ganjar also captured the moment of the visit by taking selfies with the farmers.
This issue blows strongly because Prabowo and Ganjar are the two figures encouraged by Jokowi to run for the 2024 presidential candidate. Jokowi once openly pushed for Prabowo to become a presidential candidate at the Perindo Party’s birthday event last November. Jokowi has neverendorse Ganjar openly runs for the 20204 presidential election.
Both are endorsed by Jokowi
However, Jokowi once mentioned the characteristics of an ideal presidential candidate, namely a wrinkled face and white hair because he often thinks about the people. Many people suspect that the physical characteristics referred to by Jokowi point to Ganjar. Both Prabowo and Ganjar have also been back and forth as presidential candidates with high electability according to various survey institutions.
Even though the issue was blowing loudly, Hashim said he did not know how seriously this discourse was being discussed internally within the Greater Indonesia Awakening Coalition. KIR is a coalition formed by Gerindra and the National Awakening Party to welcome the 2024 Presidential Election.
Formed since 2022, until now KIR has not officially declared the presidential and vice presidential candidates they will run in 2024. Gerindra presenting Prabowo as a presidential candidate as a fixed price. Meanwhile, PKB offered its general chairman, Muhaimin Iskandar, as vice presidential candidate.
According to Hashim, the option of running for vice president as Prabowo’s partner is still wide open for anyone. He said Muhaimin’s offer as vice presidential candidate was not an absolute requirement that was offered by PKB when he joined the coalition. “Those are the candidates approved and nominated by PKB,” he said.
Editor’s Choice: Prabowo-Ganjar Appear Friendly with Jokowi, Gerindra: Show Comfort
