JAKARTA

Indonesia’s ruling party, the Indonesian Democratic Party-Struggle (PDI-P), has announced that its presidential candidate, Ganjar Pranowo, will be paired with a respected senior cabinet minister. The party’s leader, Megawati Sukarnoputri, believes that Pranowo could be a good referee in the often unfair political and business competitions.

Mahfud MD, a former chief justice of the Constitutional Court and a vocal critic of corruption, is also expected to join Pranowo. The party is set to vote in February to replace President Joko Widodo, who has served the maximum two terms allowed. The deadline for registering for the 2024 election is approaching.

Jokowi, a member of the PDI-P but with a strained relationship with Megawati, did not attend a party event due to a conference in China. Opinion polls show Ganjar, a former Central Java governor, is closely matched with Defence Minister Prabowo Subianto, who is making a third bid for the presidency.

Subianto has not announced a running mate, but there is speculation he may pair with Jokowi’s son, Gibran Rakabuming Raka, after a top court ruling allowed him to run in 2024. Major parties are due to hold meetings before candidates register and present their platforms to the election commission.