Regarding The Prabowo-Ganjar Duet, Gerindra: We Are Not Forced, It's Not Possible That 1 Coalition 2 Candidates

Minister of Human Rights Prabowo Subianto and Governor of Central Java Ganjar Pranowo. (Instagram Prabowo-doc Central Java Provincial Government)

JAKARTA - Deputy General Chairperson (Waketum) of the Gerindra Party, Habiburokhman, said that his party would not force itself in responding to the discourse of Prabowo Subianto's duet with Ganjar Pranowo in the 2024 presidential election.

"Of course we will not force ourselves, it is impossible that in one coalition there are two presidential candidates," said Habiburokhman at the Parliament Complex, Senayan, Jakarta, Friday, September 22, which was confiscated by Antara.

Because, he said, the Gerindra Party had decided Prabowo Subianto to run as a presidential candidate, which was later supported by other political parties who were members of the Advanced Indonesia Coalition (KIM).

Likewise, he continued, with the PDI-P which has decided to carry Ganjar Pranowo as a presidential candidate. "We nominated Pak Prabowo as a presidential candidate, it was the party's official decision and is now supported by several political parties. Pak Ganjar is also like that, appointed by PDIP colleagues as presidential candidates," he said.

He then emphasized that his party would continue to advance Prabowo as a presidential candidate, along with KIM's increasingly solid support.

"This coalition is getting more solid. Will two axes later, three axes, which one we will follow, what is clear is that Pak Prabowo will continue to run as a presidential candidate," he said.

For this reason, his party has not been able to find a solution related to this if the discourse of Prabowo's duet with Ganjar is realized. "That (determination of the presidential candidate) has been officially decided by each party. That's what I don't have a thought about, we haven't thought about how to solve it yet, yes," he said.

However, Habiburokhman views the Gerindra Party and PDIP as having ideological similarities and similar attitudes to continue the government program of the President of the Republic of Indonesia Joko Widodo.

So, he continued, if Prabowo finally contested against Ganjar in the 2024 presidential election, the competition would also take place in the spirit of brotherhood.

"So if we can finally compete, the match is also in the spirit of brotherhood because the large frequency is the same," he said.

Previously, PDI-P politician Deddy Yevri Sitorus said that Ganjar Pranowo's opportunity to become a vice presidential candidate (cawapres) was almost impossible in the 2024 presidential election because the former Governor of Central Java had mandated his party to become a presidential candidate.

"I think it is almost impossible to make Mas Ganjar a vice presidential candidate because he has been appointed as a presidential candidate. There has never been a precedent for the PDI-P, especially Mrs. Megawati, to withdraw the decision, let alone reduce the level of assignment," said Deddy in a statement received in Jakarta, Friday.

Meanwhile, Thursday, September 21, Chairman of the PDI-P (PDIP) DPP Puan Maharani said the opportunity for Ganjar Pranowo to pair up with Prabowo Subianto might be in the political dynamics of the 2024 presidential election.

"Yes, maybe, the dynamics that exist in politics always allow us to always stay in touch and meet with fellow nation's children to be able to agree on things that we finally agree on together that this is the best for the nation and state," said Puan at the Parliament Complex, Senayan, Jakarta.

However, he assessed that the PDI-P saw first the political dynamics that developed over the next month.