our political parties have declared their support for Jakarta Governor Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama and Djarot Saiful Hidjayat in the upcoming Jakarta gubernatorial election. Meanwhile, six other parties are busy preparing a candidate pair to challenge the popular incumbent.
Executive director of Charta Politika Yunarto Wijaya has said former culture and education minister Anies Baswedan and businessman Sandiaga Uno could challenge Ahok-Djarot in the 2017 gubernatorial election.
“If Sandiaga and Anies are paired together, the election will be interesting. It will not be easy for Ahok-Djarot to defeat the pair,” said Yunarto as reported by tribunnews.com on Wednesday.
The Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) declared on Tuesday its support for Ahok, who was earlier supported by the Golkar Party and the Hanura Party.
Meanwhile, the remaining six parties, the Gerindra Party, the Prosperous Justice Party, the Democratic Party, the United Development Party, the National Awakening Party and the National Mandate Party, are still considering who they will support in the election.
Besides Anies and Sandiaga, the parties are also considering former law and human rights minister Yusril Ihza Mahendra, National Narcotics Agency chief Budi Waseso and former coordinating maritime affairs minister Rizal Ramli.
Yunarto said Sandiaga was supported by the Gerindra party and other parties with strong political networks in the capital. He also said Anies, as a former culture and education minister, would be popular with younger voters. (bbn)
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