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Ahok: Possible vice-presidential candidate?
Deputy Jakarta Governor Basuki âAhokâ Tjahaja Purnama said on Tuesday he had been touted as a potential 2014 vice presidential candidate
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D
eputy Jakarta Governor Basuki 'Ahok' Tjahaja Purnama said on Tuesday he had been touted as a potential 2014 vice presidential candidate.
'During informal luncheons, my colleagues in the Gerindra Party have said that I might be a potential vice presidential candidate to be paired with Pak Prabowo [Gerindra chairman Prabowo Subianto],' Ahok said at City Hall.
'However, there has been no official request from the party,' he went on.
Ahok said that Gerindra should focus on winning as many votes as possible during the legislative election, slated for April 9.
'Without obtaining more that 20 percent of the seats at the House of Representatives, how can Gerindra nominate its own presidential candidate?' he said.
Although an official request for candidacy had yet to be made, Ahok indicated that he would not reject the offer.
'Whether I am ready or not, once my party asks me to run [for a higher seat] in the election, I'll say I'm ready. Be it to become a governor or a president, I'll always say I'm ready,' he said.
When he was asked whom he would choose if both Governor Joko 'Jokowi' Widodo and Prabowo proposed him as a running mate, Ahok declined to answer and instead, responding the question with a joke.
'I'll just ask them to allow me to stay at City Hall and be governor so my picture will be hung at the office,' he said.
The vice governor further said: 'Pak Jokowi's nomination is in the hands of Ibu Mega [Indonesia Democratic party of Struggle chairwoman Megawati Soekarnoputri] while Pak Prabowo's nomination depends on the number of votes obtained by Gerindra.'
Jokowi has been touted as a real contender during the upcoming presidential election, closely followed by Prabowo. (ebf)
