ormer Jakarta deputy governor and unsuccessful vice-presidential candidate Sandiaga Uno says he is returning to Gerindra Party to help it grow and reap as much support as possible in the 2020 regional elections and the 2024 simultaneous legislative and presidential elections.
The businessman-turned-politician revealed in a recent press conference at his residence in Central Jakarta that he aimed to gain support for Gerindra from young voters and female voters, calling the latter "barisan emak" or housewife troops, who strongly supported his candidacy during April’s presidential election.
Sandiaga plans to further develop his flagship entrepreneurship programs namely the One District One Center of Entrepreneurship (OK OCE) and Rumah Siap Kerja (a program to help young people find jobs), following his return to the second-largest party at the House of Representatives.
"Gerindra has to secure more votes in the upcoming 2020 and 2024 elections," he said on Thursday, adding that the party's local groupings spread across the nation would be mobilized to also develop Gerindra's cooperatives, named Garudayaksa Nusantara, to boost the people's economy.
"We will help people at grassroots level [to improve their economy]. Gerindra is there for them."
Sandiaga first joined Gerindra in 2015 and successfully ran as the party's nominee for Jakarta deputy governor two years later. He resigned from the party shortly before being announced as Gerindra chairman Prabowo Subianto's running mate in the presidential election in 2018, in an effort to avoid an all-Gerindra presidential ticket and to appease other parties in the coalition.
Recently, Sandiaga posted a short video on his Instagram account with the caption, "I AM BACK." The video shows Sandiaga walking slowly toward the camera while unbuttoning his shirt, revealing a T-shirt emblazoned with the word "Gerindra" underneath.
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