KIB Threatened to Disband, After PAN Supports Ganjar-Erick

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com – Executive Director of Trias Politika Strategis Agung Baskoro predicts that the United Indonesia Coalition (KIB) will experience a political stalemate after the National Mandate Party (PAN) declared their support for the Ganjar Pranowo-Erick Thohir pair for the 2024 presidential election.

This is because the Golkar Party as the ‘motor’ in KIB will fail to accommodate their interests, namely to support Golkar Chairman Airlangga Hartarto as the 2024 presidential candidate.

“The declaration of Ganjar-Erick by PAN can create a political deadlock in KIB, because Golkar as the motor of the coalition which has so far focused on running for Airlangga has not accommodated its interests,” Agung said when asked for confirmation, Thursday (2/3/2023).

Also read: PAN Reveals Reasons for Supporting Ganjar-Erick to Become Presidential and Vice Presidential Candidates for 2024

Agung said, if no common ground was found regarding this issue, then KIB could have disbanded.

According to him, Golkar at least hopes that Airlangga can run in the 2024 presidential election, even if only as a vice presidential candidate.

“At least from the start, Golkar or Airlangga hoped that the cawapres seat would be fixed,” he said.

Then, Agung considered, if Airlangga failed to advance in the 2024 presidential elections, both as a presidential and vice presidential candidate, then his position as general chairman of Golkar would be threatened.

Also read: Matching Ganjar-Erick Thohir for the Presidential Election, PAN is reminded of Megawati’s ethics and permits

Agung said that usually the leadership of the Golkar Party is filled by a figure holding power.

For information, Airlangga Hartarto is currently the Coordinating Minister for the Economy in President Joko Widodo’s (Jokowi) government cabinet.

“The chair of the chairman of Golkar could shake, if Airlangga fails to participate in the presidential election, either as a presidential or vice presidential candidate,” said Agung.

It could boomerang

With the support of PAN, the Ganjar-Erick pair is said to have bargaining power for a pivot that has not yet decided on presidential and vice presidential candidates, such as KIB or the PDI-P axis.

It’s just that, Agung sees that PAN’s support for Ganjar-Erick can actually backfire politics for themselves.

“On the minus side, this could actually backfire politically for Ganjar-Erick because it bypasses the ongoing process within the PDI-P,” he said.

According to him, Ganjar-Erick to PAN actually received a negative response from PDI-P top officials after the two of them attended the PAN National Coordination Meeting. Ganjar is indeed a PDI-P cadre.

Also read: Supporting Ganjar-Erick in the 2024 Presidential Election, PAN Is Considered to Affirm Itself as a Cheerful Party

Even so, Agung suspects that the support for Ganjar-Erick is just a maneuver by PAN so that it can increase the party’s electorate.

Especially considering that in a number of survey institutions PAN is always under threat of not passing to the DPR in 2024.

Agung sees that PAN only wants to boost their electability by supporting Ganjar-Erick.

“At least by carrying Ganjar-Erick, in Central Java PAN can be boosted again by getting more seats in the DPR. And logistically ahead of the legislative elections it can be helped,” Agung added.

Also read: Zulhas Gives Code Ganjar-Erick Presidential Candidates-Cawapres PAN Stretcher Through Pantun

Previously, PAN Chairman Zulkifli Hasan provided support for supporting Ganjar-Erick as presidential and vice presidential candidates in the 2024 elections.

“Take a trip to Simpang Lima. Don’t forget to buy lumpia. If Pak Ganjar and Pak Erick are together, God willing, Indonesia will be more prosperous,” said Zulhas at the end of his speech.

This was conveyed in the presence of President Joko Widodo and 2,400 PAN cadre participants who attended the Workshop and National Coordination Meeting for Winning the National Mandate Party (PAN) Election, at the Padma Hotel Semarang, Sunday (26/2/2023).

However, Zulhas handed over the decision to Jokowi who is referred to as the supreme commander.

“But that’s what the Commander-in-Chief said, the decision rests with the Commander-in-Chief,” he said.

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