TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan stated he will not run in the 2019 presidential election at Lapangan Arcici, Rawasari, East Jakarta, Sunday, March 11. Indonesia, he said, currently has two candidates to be elected next year.

"Now there are Pak Jokowi and Pak Prabowo. That’s enough. I am taking care of Jakarta," he said, with a smile.

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On Sunday, March 11, the Regional Representatives Council (DPD) of Gerindra Party declared Prabowo Subianto as a presidential candidate in the 2019 election. Taufik said the declaration was done after ensuring and gathering aspirations from the society and all cadres of Gerindra Party in Jakarta.

Anies congratulated the declaration and hoped the consolidation within the party could go smoothly.

Earlier, based on Indo Barometer survey, Anies was said to have the potential to compete in the 2019 presidential election with 12.1 percent election rate. While President Joko Widodo alias Jokowi was at 49.9 percent. Indo Barometer Executive Director Muhammad Qodari claimed Anies was likely to be a strong rival to Jokowi.

Anies Baswedan and General Gatot Nurmantyo were assessed to achieve potential electability above 50 percent, according to the political consultant, PolMark Indonesia. The simulation was conducted to find Jokowi's challenger in the 2019 presidential election from outside Gerindra Party Chairman Prabowo Subianto.

CAESAR AKBAR