TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Gerindra leadership council (DPP) is currently examining the names of the vice presidential candidates who will accompany the party’s chairman Prabowo Subianto in running for Presidency. Prabowo will declare his decision for his VP in April.
Saiful Mujani Research and Consulting Agency (SMRC) Executive Director Djayadi Hanan stated that Prabowo, as a national figure, will likely win over Jokowi in the 2019 Presidential Election. "Prabowo will face a more difficult and different situation than the previous election," said Djayadi when contacted on Monday, March 19.
A number of names widely rumoured to be Prabowo's vice president were PAN Party Chairman Zulkifli Hasan, PKS Party President Sohibul Iman, former TNI Commander General Gatot Nurmantyo, former Coordinating Minister of Marine Affairs Rizal Ramli, West Nusa Tenggara Governor M Zainul Majdi or Tuan Guru Bajang (TGB), and former Chairman of Constitutional Court Mahfud MD.
According to Djayadi, those names were long mentioned by PDIP Party as vice presidential candidate either to be paired with Prabowo or Jokowi. He claimed Mahfud MD was the one with a high possibility match to accompany Prabowo running the election against Jokowi as he led the largest Islamic organization Nahdlatul Ulama. "Mahfud MD may bring more voters for Prabowo," he said.
Meanwhile, the other names including Gatot Nurmantyo had the same background as Prabowo in the military. As for Zulkifli Hasan, Shohibul Iman, TGB, or Rizal Ramli had anti-Jokowi supporters including from PAN or PKS. "That means, the number will not increase Prabowo's voice significantly," he added.
According to Djayadi, vice presidential candidate for Prabowo should be able to maintain the voters Prabowo previously had gained during the 2014 presidential election because the next year election might be more challenging since Prabowo will face the incumbent.
Djayadi argued many voting for Prabowo in 2014 has moved to choose his rival such as in West Java where Jokowi gained more supporters. According to him, the vice presidential candidate accompanying Prabowo must also be able to seize Jokowi’s voters.
TAUFIQ SIDDIQ