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NasDem, Dems make show of electoral unity
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Officials prepare voting materials in Jakarta on April 11, 2019, ahead of that year’s presidential and legislative elections. (AFP/Bay Ismoyo)
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asDem Party leader Surya Paloh has made a public show of unity with opposition Democratic Party chief Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono, after the former appeared to wander from their electoral alliance to gauge prospects with pro-government parties.
During a two-and-a-half-hour “intense discussion” on Wednesday, Surya and Agus said they held many views in common and that both parties had the best interests of the country at heart and the intention to contribute to its progress.
“There is no difference whatsoever from the discussion earlier about our agreement. It was all based on the good intentions of the two parties,” Surya said.
Agus said the parties’ Coalition for Change, set to serve as a political vehicle for former Jakarta governor Anies Baswedan in the 2024 presidential race, was at “the finalization stage”, adding that the constituent parties were trying to ensure they had a unified vision.
“We want this coalition ship to sail, and hopefully it will not only sail but also be able to win, win the voices, hearts and minds of the people for a better Indonesia,” Agus said.
Read also: NasDem seeks to mend strained ties with ruling coalition
NasDem has engaged in months of coalition talks with the Democratic Party and the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS), the only two opposition parties in the House. But the potential alliance has been on shaky ground as the three parties have yet to find common ground on the question of who will run alongside Anies, the strongest challenger to pro-government presidential hopefuls, according to recent public opinion polling.
