“This is the right moment, as now I’m prepared to serve the public in building Indonesia through a new dimension by joining a political party,” said Ridwan explaining his decision to finally join a political party after more than 10 years in politics, at the party headquarters in West Jakarta on Wednesday afternoon.

Sitting next to Golkar chairman Airlangga Hartarto, Ridwan affirmed that he would support the party’s decision in campaigning for Airlangga as president, especially now that he has been appointed co-chair of the party’s electoral committee and deputy chairman.

Airlangga, however, downplayed suggestions that the party planned to nominate Ridwan as vice president, insisting that such decisions would have to be discussed with Golkar’s partners within the United Indonesia Coalition (KIB), the National Mandate Party (PAN) and the United Development Party (PPP).

“On the next step, [whether Ridwan will seek reelection as West Java governor or run for Jakarta governor], we will evaluate together with Pak Emil,” said Airlangga, referring to Ridwan’s nickname.

The governor has been widely tipped as a contender for the 2024 presidential elections, even though until Wednesday afternoon, he had no political-party affiliation, fueling weeks of rumors and speculation. 

When pollster Indikator Politik asked respondents in December to pick one of nine vice-presidential candidates, Ridwan came out as number one choice with 24.1 percent of respondents’ votes. Behind him, Tourism and Creative Economy Minister Sandiaga Uno was picked by 14.8 percent of respondents and Democratic Party chairman Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono by 13.6 percent. 

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