Jakarta – Chairman of the youth-oriented Indonesian Solidarity Party (PSI) Kaesang Pangarep, the 29-year-old son of outgoing President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo, said on Monday that he could go toe-to-toe in the Jakarta gubernatorial election with stronger candidates like Anies Baswedan and Ridwan Kamil.
Kaesang also said that he would be ready to join the race in Jakarta if the capital city's people want him to run.
"If the voters want me to run, I can muster the courage to go against Pak Anies or Pak Ridwan Kamil," Kaesang said, as quoted by Antara.
Kaesang however was quick to add that the final decision on whether to run in the race would depend on the political stance taken by president-elect Prabowo Subianto's Onward Indonesia Coalition (KIM).
"We're still waiting for the final decision. So far Pak Anies is still a candidate and then there is Pak Ridwan Kamil," Kaesang said, referring to former West Java governor.
KIM is currently building a wide coalition of parties that supported the Prabowo in the February election in an attempt to defeat Anies.
The National Awakening Party (PKB) which has so far backed Anies has indicated that it could join the KIM bandwagon, a move which could jeopardize the former Jakarta's bid for reelection.
Senior aide to Prabowo Sufmi Dasco Ahmad has claimed that KIM made an agreement to nominate Ridwan in the Jakarta gubernatorial election.