Indonesia election 2024: rivals Ganjar and Baswedan eye deal to thwart Widodo’s succession plan

In recent weeks, officials backing former Central Java governor Ganjar Pranowo and former Jakarta governor Anies Baswedan discreetly met several times to discuss a possible pact. That may include intensifying their campaigning in areas dominated by Prabowo in an attempt to dilute his votes and force a run-off election, according to people from both camps who declined to be named as the matter is sensitive.

Under the proposed alliance, Ganjar or Baswedan – who is campaigning on an opposing policy platform – will endorse each other should the February 14 election go to a run-off in June. The defence minister is now leading opinion polls by a wide margin in his third bid for the presidency, with Ganjar and Baswedan trailing behind.

Any alliance between Ganjar and Baswedan would only be firmed up should there be a run-off election, the people said. The talks have progressed to the point where both parties are already discussing how to divide cabinet seats should either one become the next president.

Baswedan declined to elaborate on any talks to form the alliance on Tuesday, but he did not rule out the possibility.

“Let’s not get ahead of ourselves – we don’t know the result yet,” he said ahead of a campaign event on the eastern island of Sulawesi. “We are focused on February 14. We want to get as much support as possible.”

Representatives for Ganjar’s camp did not respond to requests for comment. On January 9, Ganjar himself told reporters “everything is possible” when asked about rumours of the talks that had been circulating in local media for days.

The talks picked up pace after January 5 when Jokowi, as the incumbent leader is popularly known, was photographed having a one-on-one dinner with Prabowo, they said.

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