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Ahok right to run on party ticket, Heru says
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Jakarta Financial and Asset Management Board head Heru Budi Hartono works in his office at City Hall on March 4. (kompas.com/Alsadad Rudi )
H
eru Budi Hartono, a potential running mate of Governor Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama, on Thursday congratulated the governor for his decision to take part in the 2017 gubernatorial election on a political-party ticket.
"Alhamdullilah, Ahok has found his way," Heru said at City Hall on Thursday.
Ahok appointed Heru as his running mate in March when the governor decided to run as an independent candidate and Teman Ahok (Friends of Ahok) began to collect photocopies of identity cards of Jakarta voters for the pair to be able to run on an independent ticket.
On Thursday, however, Ahok changed his mind by announcing his decision to run with a political party after garnering support from three political parties – the Golkar Party, NasDem Party and Hanura Party.
Ahok said on Thursday that he would meet with Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) chairwoman Megawati Soekarnoputri in the hope that the party would support his candidacy. If the party supports Ahok it opens the way for him to pair with Djarot Saiful Hidayat, his current deputy governor.
Heru, who is head of the Jakarta Financial and Asset Management Board (BPKAD), praised incumbent Djarot as the ideal running mate for Ahok. “Ahok and Djarot seem to work well together. Djarot also has some qualities and experiences that I don’t have,” Heru said.
Djarot is a former mayor of Blitar in East Java and current deputy chair of the PDI-P, responsible for expanding the party’s membership base. (bbn)
