The Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), the country'€™s largest political party, announced on Wednesday that it would nominate incumbent Surabaya Mayor Tri '€œRisma'€ Rismaharini as its candidate for the city'€™s upcoming mayoral election, which will be held concurrently with 268 other local elections on Dec. 9.

PDI-P secretary-general Hasto Kristiyanto said that the party'€™s decision to nominate Risma had been made after Risma and her running mate Wisnu Sakti Buana, who currently serves as Risma'€™s deputy, had successfully passed a series of written, psychological and interview tests carried out by the party'€™s central executive board.

Following Risma'€™s official nomination, Hasto said that the PDI-P had instructed leaders of the party'€™s branches at the district and sub-district levels in Surabaya to support Risma'€™s campaign for the upcoming mayoral election.

'€œI will donate five cows to every PDI-P sub-district branch should it succeed in helping the [Risma-Wisnu] pair secure the most votes in its respective area,'€ Hasto said as he read out the party'€™s recommendation in Surabaya on Wednesday.

The Surabaya General Elections Commission (KPUD) has registered 2.1 million voters for the city'€™s upcoming mayoral election, making it the biggest local election at the municipal and regency levels.

Risma, who was first elected Surabaya Mayor in 2010, made her name after transforming East Java'€™s capital city from a neglected city into a city with many first-class public parks.

Despite Risma'€™s high popularity, Hasto said that the PDI-P was open to forming a coalition with other political parties in endorsing Risma'€™s reelection bid.

'€œWe should not be overconfident,'€ he said.

Responding to her official nomination by the PDI-P, Risma said that she would run on the mandate conveyed to her by the party'€™s chairperson Megawati Soekarnoputri to provide prosperity for the people of Surabaya.

'€œI will do my utmost with Mas Wisnu to develop Surabaya,'€ she said.

In an effort to counter Risma'€™s nomination, six political parties '€” the Democratic Party, the Gerindra Party, the National Awakening Party (PKB), the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS), the Golkar Party and the National Mandate Party (PAN) '€” have recently declared the establishment of the Majapahit Coalition. They hope to take back power from Risma despite the absence of a strong and popular figure that can challenge Risma'€™s seemingly unbeatable popularity.

'€œWe admit the extraordinary popularity of the incumbent and the PDI-P. But, Risma is not an angel who is unbeatable,'€ Gerindra'€™s Surabaya chapter head BF Sutadi said.

In Surakarta, Central Java, six political parties '€” PAN, PD, Golkar, PKS, Gerindra and the United Development Party (PPP) '€” have also formed a coalition to nominate the candidates Anung Indro Susanto and Umar Hasyim in an effort to challenge the nomination of incumbent Mayor FX Hadi '€œRudy'€ Rudyatmo and his running mate Achmad Purnomo, both of whom recently received official endorsement from the PDI-P.

'€œThey [Rudy and Achmad] are indeed tough rivals, considering Surakarta as a stronghold of the PDI-P, but we will not retreat before fighting,'€ secretary for the so-called Solo Together Coalition (KSB) coalition, Supriyanto, said.

Surakarta is a home to 550,000 people and dozens of heritage buildings. It is also known as the hometown of President Joko '€œJokowi'€ Widodo, who served as mayor of the ancient Javanese city from 2005 to 2012.

Achmad, who leads PDI-P Surakarta'€™s campaign team, meanwhile, said he was confident that he and Rudy would win the upcoming mayoral election.

'€œPDI-P does not feel threatened [with the coalition],'€ he said.

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