Left Alone in the Solo Pilkada, Does PKS Start to be Realistic?

JAKARTA - The Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) is left alone after five political parties formed a coalition to support Gibran Rakabuming Raka-Teguh Prakosa. PKS began to be realistic with the closing of the coalition door.

"We are realistic, the coalition door is closed," said Chairman of the DPD PKS Solo, Abdul Ghofar Ismail when contacted by VOI, Saturday, August 22.

With this condition, PKS Solo has to meet cadres and party structures from the lowest level. PKS wants to absorb the aspirations of the cadres in the midst of two candidate pairs in the Solo Pilkada, namely Gibran-Teguh and Bagyo Wahyono-FX Suparjo (Bajo), They meet the requirements to register from the individual or independent route.

"This week, Insya Allah, we will ask PKS cadres and structures from sub-districts and villages. We will report that it seems that the intention, encouragement, hope for PKS to nominate candidates can't be realized. Today's coalition doors are closed, so we ask for their input," continued Abdul Ghofar.

After "being left alone", PKS, which has five seats in the Solo DPRD, still needs four additional seats to fulfill the requirements to carry a candidate in the Pilkada. Even though the opportunity is small, Abdul Ghofar said that there is still a hope to change the political map.

"So we'll fight until the registration (candidate) was closed. We realized that at the last minute, there could be many incidents that are sometimes not taken into account. So we don't stop our efforts. I feel like the door has been closed, but it can be open again," he said.

Abdul Ghofar admitted that the passing of the independent candidate, Bajo, on the factual verification of support was quite surprising. They are considered by PKS to have worked hard so that they could register as a candidate pair in early September.

"It is truly extraordinary. So far, we do not know Pak Bagyo and Suparjo. But, they suddenly appeared and succeeded in factual verification of the KPU," he said.

Therefore, the condition of the Solo Pilkada, which is likely to be followed by two prospective pairs of candidates, will be considered by PKS while listening to cadres' voices.

"With two candidates who can register, of course, we will not automatically make a decision, whether Gibran, Bajo, or abstained. It is part of (the DPP decision), the PKS Pilkada winning team to address this phenomenon," said Abdul Ghofar.