We’ve seen numerous names being talked up as possible running mate picks for either President Joko Widodo or his likely sole challenger in next April’s presidential election, Gerindra Chairman Prabowo Subianto. The newest name being speculated on, seemingly out of the blue, is Jakarta Vice Governor Sandiaga Uno.
Governor Anies Baswedan has long been tipped to be Prabowo’s running mate, but now Fadli Zon, Gerindra Party Vice Chairman and Prabowo’s right-hand man, revealed that Anies’ second-in-command in the Jakarta administration is a possible VP candidate pick.
“Yes, there’s potential [in Sandiaga becoming Prabowo’s running mate]. Some people suggested it,” Fadli said yesterday, as quoted by Kompas, without revealing who is backing Sandiaga.
Sandiaga was leading Prabowo and Gerindra’s election campaign team before he was forced to resign as the General Elections Commission regulated that regional heads aren’t allowed to use their political capacities for campaigning. So when asked about Fadli’s comment, Sandiaga chose to skirt the issue.
“I have stepped down as the head of the campaign team as per regulations, so I’m not in any capacity to make political statements,” Sandiaga said, as quoted by Viva.
Though Sandiaga did not add weight to the rumors, it appears increasingly likely that, if Prabowo were to nab somebody from the Jakarta administration for his running mate, it would be him and not Anies, who Fadli said is already out of the picture.
Prabowo is being linked to a number of possible running mate at the moment, from Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono (the son of his new political ally, former president and Democratic Party chairman Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono) to popular Islamic cleric Abdul Somad. The Gerindra chairman, as well as President Jokowi, have until the end of August 10 to officially register their presidential candidacies and declare their running mates.
