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Dynastic duo? Gerindra eyes Jokowi's son, Sukarno's grandson for Surakarta mayoral pair
Jokowi's eldest son may join former president Sukarno’s grandson on the Gerindra ticket in next year’s Surakarta mayoral race.
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President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo’s eldest son, Gibran Rakabuming Raka (JP/Wendra Ajistyatama)
T
he Gerindra Party may pair President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo’s eldest son, Gibran Rakabuming Raka, with former president Sukarno’s grandson, GPH Paundrakarna “Paundra” Sukmaputra Jiwanegara, in the 2020 mayoral race in Surakarta, Central Java.
Gerindra’s Surakarta executive board (DPC) chairman Ardianto Kuswinarno said he believed Gibran and Paundra would be a suitable duo to lead Surakarta.
In addition to their youth, Gibran’s experience as a businessman and Paundra’s as a cultural observer could complement the city’s trademark tourism and culture industry.
“We’ve only tossed the idea around, but we will discuss it with the party after meeting with [Gibran and Paundra],” Ardianto said, adding that he would meet Paundra in Mangkunegaran Palace sometime this week.
Ardianto acknowledged that Gibran and Paundra were card-holding members of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), the largest party in the Surakarta Legislative Council (DPRD), dominating 30 of its 45 seats.
He also noted that Gibran was still trying to approach the PDI-P central board about his mayoral candidacy as the Surakarta branch has closed its doors to him. Paundra -- a former DPRD Surakarta councillor from the PDI-P -- has been inactive in politics for a while, he said.
Ardianto said it was still uncertain which party would back Gibran and Paundra, as the road to the mayoral election was long and the parties could still create coalitions.
