Ghina Ghaliya, Jakarta – The Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) central executive board has recommended Rahayu "Sara" Saraswati Djojohadikusumo, the niece of Gerindra Party chairman Prabowo Subianto, to be its nominee for deputy mayor in the upcoming 2020 South Tangerang mayoral election in Banten.
A statement on PDI-P letterhead seen by The Jakarta Post on Monday said that the party's executive board was set to nominate Sara to run for deputy mayor with the current regional secretary of South Tangerang, Muhammad.
The letter, dated June 30, was signed by the chairman of the PDI-P's central board of elections, Bambang Wuryanto, and the party's secretary-general, Hasto Kristiyanto.
Gerindra Party deputy chairman Sufmi Dasco Ahmad said that neither the party nor Sara had received the letter but confirmed that the party was planning to nominate Sara to run in the 2020 South Tangerang race.
"If the letter is true, our elections division will meet and confer with the PDI-P regarding the matter," he said.
Dasco said the Gerindra Party had yet to issue its official recommendation for Sara and that the party had planned to nominate her for mayor instead of deputy mayor.
"But we're open to other options," he said. He added that Gerindra and the PDI-P would collaborate in several other local elections.
Sara served as a member of the House of Representatives for the 2014-2019 legislative term but failed to secure reelection last year.
She was a member of House Commission VIII overseeing social affairs and worked consistently to pass the long-awaited sexual violence eradication bill.