Golkar Ragukan New Axis PKB Can Compete With Khofifah In The East Java Gubernatorial Election

JAKARTA - The chairman of the East Java Golkar DPD, Sarmuji, doubts the PKB's plan to create a new axis to compete with Khofifah Indar Parawansa and Emil Dardak in the East Java gubernatorial election (Pilgub Jatim).

Sarmuji said that Khofifah was difficult to fight because she had a large flow. Moreover, this incumbent is supported by four political parties (political parties), namely Golkar, Gerindra, PAN and Democrats.

"I'm not sure PKB will build a new axis. Because Mrs. Khofifah is a big current, it's hard to fight," Sarmuji told reporters, Sunday, May 18.

Sarmuji revealed that currently there is a slice between Khofifah supporters and the PKB base in East Java. According to him, there is a risk that support at the provincial level will affect support in districts/cities.

"Because of this, simultaneous regional elections with regencies/cities have a risk of support at the provincial level, it will affect support in regencies/cities. Moreover, there is a mass slice between supporters of Mrs. Khofifah and the PKB mass base," he said. Previously, the National Awakening Party (PKB) stated that it would form a new axis outside the political parties supporting Khofifah Indar Parawansa-Emil Dardak in the 2024 East Java Governor Election (Pilgub Jatim).

It is known that the incumbent pair Khofifah-Emil has obtained the blessing of the four political parties of the Advanced Indonesia Coalition (KIM), namely Golkar, Gerindra, Democrats and PAN.

Just like in the West Java gubernatorial election, PKB also took the position of competing incumbents in the East Java gubernatorial election. Moreover, PKB has ticket gold so that it can nominate without a coalition.

"The position in East Java is the same, the position of PKB will make a axis outside Mbak Khofifah. Because PKB is one of those who get ticket gold in East Java, without a coalition with other parties PKB can push the axis outside Mbak Khofifah. But PKB continues to build communication with other parties," said Deputy Secretary General of PKB Syaiful Huda to reporters, Friday, May 17.

PKB itself has proposed the name of the former chairman of the East Java PWNU, Kiai H. Marzuki Mustamar. However, PKB also has female candidates who are ready to become Khofifah's competitors.

"Several names have been circulating there, specifically for East Java, I think I can name the kiai Marzuki Mustamar, the former chairman of PWNU, as one of the options we encourage," said Huda.

"Including the same name, both women will be able to compete with women with Mbak Khofifah," he continued.

This woman, said Huda, is a competitor who is equivalent to Khofifah. However, she still kept the woman's name a secret.

"This week we mentioned the names of the women who will become competitors quite fierce for Ms. Khofifah," he concluded.