Usung Sudaryono In Central Java Gubernatorial Election, Gerindra Must Collaborate With Islamic Political Parties

Chairman of the Central Java Gerindra Party DPD Sudaryono (left) with Prabowo and Gibran (Photo: Special)

JAKARTA The Gerindra Party is advised to form a coalition or partner with an Islamic-based political party if it carries Sudaryono to win the 2024 Central Java gubernatorial election (Pilgub).

"That's the pattern first, experience in regional elections. So, the potential for the winning candidate pairs represents nationalist and religious groups," said Undip political observer Fitriyah, Sunday, May 5, 2024.

He considered that the combination of nationalist parties with Islamic parties is usually used in regional elections, especially in Central Java because from the experience of the previous regional elections, there was more chance to win.

With this pattern, Sudaryono's electability, who is now the Chairman of the Central Java Gerindra Party DPD, can skyrocket and outperform the former Mayor of Semarang, Hendrar Prihadi, who is in the first place in a number of surveys.

Fitriyah admitted that even though he was a newcomer, Sudaryono was a strong figure who was proven by high electability, as in the survey by the Indonesian Election Study Institute (LKPI) which placed him in number two after Hendrar Prihadi.

In addition, the position of Sudaryono, who is the closest person to Prabowo Subianto as the elected president, can also provide his own benefits in the 2024 Central Java gubernatorial election.

After Prabowo-Gibran is inaugurated, of course Sudaryono will have high support, assisted by Prabowo's popularity.

One of these strategies did then lead to a close relationship with a figure who was considered more popular. That's a strategy, and coincidentally the party carries the elected president, it also contains a selling value," he said.

However, Fitriyah stated, apart from Islamic political parties, Gerindra still has the opportunity to form a coalition with fellow nationalists, such as the Democratic Party.

"Because you have to have 20 percent of seats in the legislature to be able to carry candidates in the Central Java gubernatorial election, of course it can also be a separate consideration," he said.