Senior officials of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) paid a visit to the Golkar Party headquarters in Slipi, West Jakarta, on Tuesday, to consolidate relationships ahead of the 2019 presidential election.
enior officials of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) paid a visit to the Golkar Party headquarters in Slipi, West Jakarta, on Tuesday, to consolidate relationships ahead of the 2019 presidential election.
Golkar chairman Airlangga Hartanto welcomed PDI-P secretary general Hasto Kristiyanto, his deputy Ahmad Basarah and other party members. Airlangga said this was the first official visit of PDI-P officials to the Golkar Party headquarters.
“This meeting is held to officially announce that Golkar fully supports [President] Joko “Jokowi” Widodo,” Airlangga told journalists.
“We also need to synchronize steps by the two parties to win elections, especially in Central Java, Riau and South Sumatra, and in areas where Golkar and the PDI-P are supporting the same candidates,” he added.
Airlangga said despite heavy speculation, his party still had no plan to offer a vice-presidential candidate for Jokowi.
The PDI-P has named Jokowi its presidential candidate in 2019, less than six months before the General Elections Commission (KPU) opens registration for next year’s election.
The party declared its support during a closed-door national meeting of party executives in Denpasar, Bali, on Feb. 23. “I declare Joko Widodo the presidential candidate from the PDI-P,” party chairwoman Megawati Soekarnoputri told the party’s rank and file in a video shared by the party with journalists covering the event.
Golkar is one of four political parties, including the National Awakening Party (PKB), the United Development Party (PPP) and the NasDem Party, that have officially declared support for Jokowi's re-election bid. (gis/ebf)
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