Eyes were on Central Java as one of the key election battlegrounds early in the new year, as presidential candidate Ganjar Pranowo attempted to shore up support in the province amid two alleged assault cases.

Ganjar of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) kicked off his campaign in Central Java in the fifth week of campaigning by meeting with local batik craftsmen and youth voters in Sukoharjo regency on Dec. 26.

Central Java has for years been a stronghold of the PDI-P, and Ganjar is a former two-term governor of the province.

Ganjar, who is running with VP candidate Mahfud MD, also visited Klaten city the following day and Wonosobo regency on Friday, where he unveiled a number of campaign platforms geared toward education.

Also on Friday, Ganjar visited Surakarta to meet with a local cleric. His visit to Surakarta was his second on the campaign trail after he attended a PDI-P rally in the city on Dec. 24 during the fourth week of the campaign season.

Surakarta is widely seen as a stronghold of the First Family and was where President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo started his political career with the PDI-P some 18 years ago when he won the mayoral election in the city. Jokowi’s eldest son Gibran Rakabuming Raka, who is running for VP with frontrunner Prabowo Subianto in the presidential race, currently serves as mayor of the city.

Despite this, there has been rising sentiment in Surakarta against Gibran’s VP candidacy, with banners being hung up across the city bearing the slogan “Solo bukan Gibran” (Surakarta is not with Gibran).

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