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Prabowo visits Jokowi during Idul Fitri, downplays possible pairing with Ganjar
A day after the PDI-P announced the nomination of Central Java Governor Ganjar Pranowo for the 2024 presidential run, President Jokowi received visiting Gerindra presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto in his home in Surakarta, Central Java, on Saturday, during Idul Fitri.
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President Joko “Jokowi“ Widodo (right), accompanied by Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto (left) and Central Java Governor Ganjar Pranowo, inspects a mass paddy harvest in Lajer village, Kebumen regency, Central Java, on March 9. (Presidential Secretariat's Press Bureau/Laily Rachev)
A day after the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) announced the nomination of Central Java Governor Ganjar Pranowo for the 2024 presidential run, President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo received visiting Gerindra Party presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto in his home in Surakarta, Central Java, on Saturday, during Idul Fitri.
“As per tradition [in Indonesia], it’s customary for an underling to pay respects to their leader during Idul Fitri,” Prabowo, who also serves as the defense minister in Jokowi’s Cabinet, said after the meeting. “As it’s Idul Fitri, we didn’t have any political conversation whatsoever.”
Responding to questions from reporters, however, the Gerindra chairman downplayed the possibility of him being paired with Ganjar, saying Gerindra already named him as its presidential candidate and claiming, “Gerindra is in a strong position right now”. But he also maintained the situation was still fluid.
Accompanying Prabowo in his visit were Gerindra secretary-general Ahmad Muzani and politician Sugiono, as well as the minister’s son Didit Hediprasetyo. Meanwhile, First Lady Iriana and Jokowi’s children Gibran Rakabuming and Kaesang Pangarep accompanied the President.
Read also: Prabowo opens possibility to partner with PDI-P following Ganjar’s nomination
On a different occasion, earlier on Saturday before the meeting, Jokowi mentioned Prabowo as one of Ganjar’s possible running-mates, along with State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs) Minister Erick Thohir, Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Affairs Minister Mahfud MD, National Awakening Party (PAN) chair Muhaimin Iskandar and Golkar Party chair Airlangga Hartarto.
Jokowi is a member of PDI-P and was present when chairwoman Megawati Soekarnoputri on Friday officially gave Ganjar the mandate to run in 2024. The President and Ganjar flew together to Surakarta on the presidential aircraft later that day, and the two attended Idul Fitri morning mass prayers in the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Surakarta on Saturday.
