Ridwan Kamil Eyes Vice-President Position as Opportunity Appears

Head of PDI-P Executive Board Achmad Basarah said former West Governor Ridwan Kamil had just met with PDI-P Chairwoman Megawati Soekarnoputri to discuss the possibility of him being named as PDI-P’s prospective presidential candidate Ganjar Pranowo as prospective vice-presidential candidate. 

Achmad did not elaborate further on the meeting, but he confirmed that Megawati was impressed with Ridwan Kamil’s achievement as a public official in the province with the largest number of residents.

Aside from politics, both Ridwan and Megawati share a similar gardening hobby.  Ridwan initiated the Indonesia Berkebun (Gardening Indonesia) movement that aimed at building amateur gardens in many cities in Indonesia, which has spread to more than 14 cities with 4,000 members.

Commenting on the meeting, Ridwan acknowledged that he could help Ganjar gain massive votes in West Java, which has become a kryptonite for many PDI-P politicians, including Joko Widodo, to gain votes.

“Many surveys, including some international ones, have mentioned my name as a figure who secures the largest support as vice-presidential candidate. If we are paired, I could cover for Mas Ganjar’s lack of votes in West Java,” he said.

Litbang Kompas’ August survey found that Ridwan Kamil ranked first in the vice-presidential candidate list with 8.4 percent, followed by Tourism and Creative Economy Minister Sandiaga Uno with 8.2 percent, and then SoE Minister Erick Thohir with eight percent.

Unlike Central Java, which has been known as a PDI-P stronghold region, most of West Java favored Islamic traditional figures and figures with military backgrounds for leadership positions.

“So, mathematically speaking, the Ganjar Pranowo-Ridwan Kamil pair is perfectly match,” Ridwan said.

However, he also acknowledged that the political candidacy is not the same with some mathematical calculations. So, anything could happen.