Jokowi Diligently Visits Central Java Ahead Of The Presidential Election, Ganjar: Central Java, Banteng Kandang

Presidential Candidate number 3 Ganjar Pranowo while attending the Cirebon People's Celebration at Bima Stadium, Cirebon City, West Java, Saturday (27/01/2024). (ANTARA/M. Baqir Idrus Alatas)

Presidential candidate number 3, Ganjar Pranowo responded to the frequent visits of Central Java Province ahead of the voting day for the 2024 General Election. The former governor of Central Java admitted that he did not know why Jokowi and even the general chairmen of political parties carrying presidential and vice presidential candidates number 2 Prabowo Subianto-Gibran Rakabuming Raka were diligent in visiting the province. "So, how come many others are happy to come to Central Java, yes,” said Ganjar after political speeches at the Medan People's Celebration at the Maimun Palace, Medan City, North Sumatra, Sunday, January 28. So far, Central Java is known as the PDI-P voter base (PDIP) which is quite large or termed a "bullet cage". As a PDIP cadre, Ganjar served as Governor of Central Java for 10 years, namely in the 2013-2018 and 2018-2023 periods. Perhaps, according to Ganjar, the frequent group of opposing candidate pairs visiting Central Java was carried out in order to be able to reap voters to switch support from PDIP. "“ We will definitely work hard because Central Java is a 'bullet cage', so many may eventually have to make their own ways," explained Ganjar. At least, in the last two months, Jokowi has visited Central Java three times. Jokowi's latest working visit lasted two days, on January 22-23, 2024, starting from Salatiga City, Magelang, then Temanggung Regency, and Wonosobo Regency. On January 22, Jokowi accompanied by Iriana Joko Widodo was willing to visit the Tingkir Clumpit Football Field, Salatiga City, to ensure that the distribution of government rice reserve food assistance (CBP) has been well received. At that momentum, a video circulated showing a figure brandishing two fingers, from inside the presidential car and went viral on social media. Then in Magelang, Jokowi inaugurated the road sections that were repaired through the regional road inpres program and distributed assistance for the 2024 Indonesia Smart program.

In Temanggung, Jokowi handed over food assistance, while in Wonosobo handed over land certificates and attended santri/student apples, and visited Koran teachers throughout Java Island. Meanwhile, on January 23, 2024, in addition to visiting Semarang City, Jokowi also distributed the assistance of the Smart Indonesia Card in Purwodadi and handed over land certificates in Blora.