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Gerindra-PKB alliance hangs in balance
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Members of Nahdlatul Ulama's (NU) Muslim organization join a declaration event supporting Muhaimin Iskandar as vice president for the 2019 presidential election in Bahrul Hidayah Islamic boarding school in Banyuwangi, East Java on Feb. 17, 2018. (Antara/Budi Candra Setya)
T
he future of the Gerindra Party-led alliance, which plans to announce a ticket for the 2024 presidential election by January next year, is hanging in the balance after the National Awakening Party (PKB) floated the idea of leaving the alliance if its chairman is not named a candidate for vice president.
Since declaring in August their alliance, called the Great Indonesia Awakening Coalition (KIR), Gerindra and the PKB have been trying to find their middle ground over the 2024 ticket. But fresh rumors were later swirling that President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo had been pushing for Gerindra chair Prabowo Subianto to run with rising star Central Java Governor Ganjar Pranowo on his side. Ganjar is Jokowi's fellow member of the ruling Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) and whose popularity has outpaced PKB chair Muhaimin Iskandar.
Once an opposition leader and former Army general, Prabowo had made two unsuccessful bids for the country’s top job against Jokowi before he joined the government and became the defense minister, disappointing his conservative Muslim base.
Gerindra’s alliance with the PKB is likely intended to combine the former's nationalist supporters and the latter's Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) religious base, particularly after Prabowo suffered back-to-back defeats in East Java, a traditional NU stronghold.
In recent events, the President has dropped hints of his support for Prabowo and Ganjar, separately. Analysts have said this could indicate, among others, Jokowi’s endorsement for both politicians to run together in the upcoming presidential race.
Read also: Jokowi touts 'white-haired' sucsessor to secure legacy
While such a scenario of pairing Prabowo with Ganjar remains speculation, Prabowo is likely to have his hands tied as his party had entered into a political pact with the PKB, which insists on nominating Muhaimin as a presidential candidate or at least as Prabowo's running mate.
