The Potential Of The Prabowo-Ganjar Duet In The 2024 Presidential Election Is Considered To Be Possible If Jokowi Is Considered King Maker

President Jokowi, Governor of Central Java Ganjar Pranowo and Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto inspected the rice harvest in Kebumen, Thursday 9 March 2023. (ANTARA-HO-Relawan Ganjar)

Political observer Adi Prayitno assessed that the moment of intimacy between President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) and Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto and Central Java Governor Ganjar Pranowo during the harvest at Kebumen could be a political signal towards the 2024 presidential election. According to him, the Ganjar-Prabowo duo could occur if these two figures considered Jokowi as king maker. Ganjar as a presidential candidate, Prabowo as a vice presidential candidate.

"Ganjar capres and Prabowo as vice presidential candidates, this will happen if Prabowo and Ganjar think Jokowi are king makers who can determine the direction of the coalition in the government camp," Adi said in a written statement, Thursday, March 9.

However, continued Adi, with this position there must be an obstacle in Prabowo's camp. Because so far, the Gerindra Party wants Prabowo to run as a presidential candidate in 2024.

"So do you want (Prabowo) to become a vice presidential candidate who is then duetted with Ganjar? That's an important question that doesn't have an answer yet. Because uniting two people who I think have big names, have high electability, it's not an easy matter," Adi explained.

However, the executive director of the Indonesian Political Parameter assessed that political conditions and coalitions were still very dynamic because the 2024 presidential election was still one year away. Therefore, according to Adi, although Prabowo has so far set a fixed price as a presidential candidate, the general chairman of Gerindra has the potential to melt into a vice presidential candidate if paired with Ganjar.

"It's not impossible that the second plan is to form a coalition with others, so Prabowo is not a target as a presidential candidate. Because Gerindra is also being tested for political faith," he said.

Moreover, from a number of survey institutions, said Adi, Ganjar's electability is far above Prabowo. So that the potential for the Ganjar-Prabowo duet can occur in the 2024 presidential election. With a note, Ganjar will really be promoted by PDIP.

"Ganjar is above with Prabowo. This can actually explain that in the end Prabowo is very likely to be paired with Ganjar," said Adi. "But with a note, Ganjar is promoted by PDIP. Prabowo can have coalition partners in 2024," he added.