Lani Diana Wijaya, Jakarta – Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan met with three political party leaders on Sunday, September 18, 2022. He was tight-lipped when asked whether they discussed the 2024 presidential election but did not deny talks about politics.
"Everything was discussed," he said shortly at Plaza Selatan Monas, Central Jakarta, Monday, September 19, 2022.
As widely reported, the former education minister recently asserted his readiness to run for president in the 2024 general elections and is open to any political party willing to facilitate the run.
A member of the Jakarta Legislative Council (DPRD) from the Democratic Party, Mujiyono, uploaded a photo of Anies with three party leaders and 10th and 12th Vice President Jusuf Kalla. Leaders of the three parties were PKS President Ahmad Syaikhu, Chairman of the NasDem Party Surya Paloh, and Chairman of the Democratic Party Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono (AHY).
Anies also said that affairs related to the presidential election should be asked to political parties. He claimed he just attended the wedding reception of the daughter of a DPR member from the NasDem Party, Sugeng Suparwoto.
Anies meets Ahok
Anies also met with his former rival Basuki Tjahaja Purnama or Ahok at another wedding party of the DPR Commission VII Chairman Sugeng Suparwoto's children. Sugeng is also a Nasdem politician.
The NasDem Party official Willy Aditya confirmed that the meeting at the Pondok Indah InterContinental Lounge was a coincidence.
When met at Martha Christina Tiahahu Park, Anies was reluctant to talk about the meeting.
Meanwhile, Ahok who was not the wedding's invitee said he accidentally met Anies Baswedan while having lunch at the same hotel. "I happened to meet him when having lunch with my family and friends at the same hotel," he said.