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ll three governor candidates that will contend in the upcoming Central Java election have expressed happiness with their respective candidacy numbers drawn by the election body on Tuesday.

The Central Java General Elections Commission (KPUD) drew the three pairs'€™ candidacy numbers on Tuesday and declared the result of the draw official.

'€œWe have decided that number 1 goes to Hadi Prabowo'€“Don Murdono. Number 2 goes to Bibit Waluyo'€“Sudijono Sastroatmodjo and number 3 goes to Ganjar Pranowo'€“Heru Sudjatmoko,'€ KPUD chairman Fajar Subhi said when announcing the result.

Hadi'€“Don are nominated jointly by the Great Indonesia Movement Party (Gerindra) , United Development Party (PPP), National Awakening Party (PKB), Prosperous Justice Party (PKS), Ulema National Awakening Party (PKNU) and the People'€™s Conscience (Hanura) Party.

Bibit'€“Sudijono are nominated by the Democratic Party, National Mandate Party (PAN) and Golkar Party. While Ganjar'€“Heru are nominated by the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P).

Responding to the result of the draw, governor candidate number 1, Hadi, said that he was lucky to have number 1 as his candidacy number. He said the number was the most superior.

'€œBeing number one means respecting and protecting,'€ said Hadi, who is also Central Java provincial secretary.

Placed second, incumbent Bibit said, '€œBeing number 2 means to continue.'€

Governor hopeful Ganjar separately said that the number 3 he got was according to the expectation of his supporters, PDI- P cadres.

He expressed hope that being number three in the candidacy would give him the same success as Jakarta Governor Joko '€œJokowi'€ Widodo, who also got number 3 when he was running for the Jakarta gubernatorial race.

'€œMany have expressed hope for me to have 3 as our candidacy number because with this we can make a metal greeting,'€ said Ganjar.

After the draw, the next step of the gubernatorial election process would be debates involving the three pairs of candidates. The debates will be spread over three sessions and will be aired live on three TV stations with national coverage, namely TVOne on May 10, Kompas TV on May 14 and Metro TV on May 22. The election is scheduled for May 26.

'€œTo make it transparent, we will announce the wealth of each candidate on May 2,'€ Fajar said.

He added that the three candidate pairs would also be required to sign a joint statement to conduct a peaceful campaign as an expression of their commitment to conduct campaign activities that are respectful, according to the set schedules, used to convey programs and vision and mission, and that are held according to the prevailing regulations.

The campaign period is scheduled for May 10'€“22.

Over 27 million people have been registered as eligible voters. They are expected to cast votes in nearly 62,000 polling stations across Central Java.