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resident-elect Joko '€œJokowi'€ Widodo'€™s Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) has stated that it should have first choice in nominating a candidate to fill the number two position in Jakarta once Deputy Governor Basuki '€œAhok'€ Tjahaja Purnama is sworn in as the new governor.

Jokowi is expected to submit his resignation as governor to the President following his victory in the July 9 presidential election.

PDI-P deputy chairwoman Puan Maharani said that according to political etiquette, her party should have the first say on who to nominate as deputy governor following Jokowi'€™s resignation and Ahok'€™s appointment as the new governor. The PDI-P backed Jokowi in the 2012 gubernatorial election, while his running mate, Ahok, was supported by the Gerindra Party.

'€œWhen Pak Jokowi from the PDI-P is replaced by Pak Ahok of Gerindra, from a political etiquette point of view, the one to replace Ahok should be from the PDI-P,'€ she said

She said that PDI-P chairwoman Megawati Soekarnoputri and the party'€™s executive board had yet to decide on who to nominate as its deputy governor candidate.

Puan, also chairwoman of the PDI-P faction at the House of Representatives, said the political elite in the two political parties should respect each other in nominating a deputy governor candidate.

'€œIt is not merely a matter of power sharing. This matter is about how we as sons of the nation have the same purpose to develop the nation,'€ she said.

Following the inauguration of 106 new members of the City Council on Monday, Gerindra politicians also said their party had the right to nominate a deputy governor hopeful, while the final decision was the council'€™s.

The two parties'€™ elites have been in discord following Gerindra'€™s presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto'€™s loss in the recent presidential election.

PDI-P deputy secretary-general Hasto Kristiyanto said that PDI-P'€™s executive board had several options on who to nominate to replace Ahok.

He mentioned Boy Bernardi Sadikin, son of the late former Jakarta governor Ali Sadikin, and East Java'€™s former Blitar mayor Djarot Saiful Hidayat as the strongest candidates to be nominated by the party because both were competent and suitable to be paired with Ahok.

'€œJakarta needs a person with the nerve and ability to make breakthroughs because [he or she] has to face various interest groups,'€ he said.

Hasto said Boy had strong determination while Djarot had proven his capability in leading Blitar municipality as its mayor for two consecutive terms from 2000 through 2010.

Djarot won a seat at the House as a member of the PDI-P representing East Java in the April 9 legislative election.

During his tenure, Djarot strongly opposed the development of malls, shopping centers and hypermarkets. As an alternative to their construction, he held discussions with street vendors and relocated them to the city'€™s main square.

Meanwhile, Boy is currently chairman of the PDI-P'€™s Jakarta branch.

However, Hasto said that it was Megawati who would make the final decision, but that Ahok'€™s opinion would be taken into consideration. (ask)