Puan-Ganjar, Prabowo-Sandi: Electability Is Great But Makes PDIP-Gerindra 'dizzy' In The 2024 Presidential Election, How Come?

Illustrations (Photo: Irfan Meidianto / VOI)

JAKARTA - Esa Unggul University political communication observer, Jamiluddin Ritonga, assessed that PDIP and Gerindra were facing the same problem in carrying out presidential candidates in the 2024 presidential election.

As is known, the chairman of the House of Representatives, Puan Maharani, and the governor of Central Java, Ganjar Pranowo, are said to both want to run for the 2024 presidential election.

"Puan through the party structure, the PDIP faction, and its volunteers are trying to convince the public and her mother, the Chairperson of the PDIP (Megawati Soekarnoputri) that she is worthy to be a presidential candidate. For that, Puan's billboards are installed all over the country", Jamiluddin said in Jakarta, Friday, October 1.

Puan, he continued, also began to actively greet residents including Blusukan (unannounced inspections) in Jakarta. Even now the former Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture appears in the media every day through various reports.

Meanwhile, said Jamiluddin, Ganjar had a different way of asking Megawati's blessing to become a presidential candidate.

"Ganjar seems passive by stating that he only wants to concentrate on dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic. He even does more cycling, eating alone like ordinary citizens, and activities that depict a populist figure", he explained.

But behind that continued Jamiluddin, Ganjar volunteers were declared everywhere. Even abroad, volunteers have also emerged who voiced Ganjar for the presidential candidate.

"Volunteers' narratives also tend to put pressure on the PDIP central board, especially Megawati. The PDIP is depicted as a big loss if it doesn't carry Ganjar in the 2024 presidential election.

"Ganjar always stated that he did not know about the presence of the volunteers. However, Ganjar never asked the volunteers to stop voicing himself as a presidential candidate", he continued.

This then made the PDIP central board, in particular the PDIP Secretary-General, Hasto, issue a strong statement. He threatened to impose sanctions if any of his cadres participated in declaring Ganjar as a presidential candidate.

Meanwhile, in the Gerindra Party, Jamiluddin explained, Prabowo Subianto has been predicted to be a presidential candidate in the 2024 presidential election. The party structure from the DPP to the DPC has one vote to carry the general chairman.

"They have declared a command to support Prabowo. However, Gerindra officials were surprised by the appearance of the Sandiaga Uno volunteer in Lombok. The volunteer declared Sandi as a presidential candidate in the 2024 presidential election", Jamiluddin explained.

The volunteers assessed that Sandi was the most appropriate person to be nominated as a presidential candidate than Prabowo. Besides being younger, Sandi is considered more likely to win than Prabowo, who has repeatedly lost.

"Gerindra central board quickly responded to the declaration. Gerindra, he said, would only stand straight for Prabowo in the 2024 presidential election. Sandi's spokesman was also quick to respond to the declaration. Sandi said he was disturbed by the declaration. Sandi is said to be fully focused on recovering affected tourism actors the COVID-19 pandemic", said Jamiluddin.

"So, PDIP and Gerindra are both confused by their cadres who want to run for president. Puan and Prabowo are supported by the party structure, while Ganjar and Sandi are supported by volunteers", he added.

The difference, said Jamiluddin, is that Puan's electability is low and Ganjar is quite successful. On the other hand, Prabowo and Sandi's electability is equally high.

According to Jamiluddin, the question of who is the presidential candidate from PDIP and Gerindra will likely continue to drain the brains and concentration of the top brass of the two parties. Because, through his volunteers, Ganjar will continue to put pressure on the PDIP DPP so that he becomes a presidential candidate.

"Sandi volunteers will also appear and do the same to the Gerindra central board. This will certainly break the concentration of PDIP and Gerindra officials in facing the upcoming presidential election", concluded Jamiluddin.