Candidate vying to lead Indonesian capital denies pandering to Islamists

Anies Baswedan (R), a candidate in the running to lead the Indonesian capital Jakarta, talks to suppoters during campaigning in Jakarta, Indonesia, January 17, 2017 in this photo taken by Antara Foto. Antara Foto/Muhammad Adimaja/via

JAKARTA (Reuters) - A former education minister in Muslim-majority Indonesia facing a run-off vote against a Christian to be Jakarta governor, on Tuesday denied pandering to Islamists to win support and said he could unite the capital after a divisive election.

Anies Baswedan is set to take on Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, Jakarta's first Christian and ethnic Chinese governor, in a second-round vote on April 19. Purnama got the most votes in a first round, on Feb. 15, but not by enough to avoid a run-off, unofficial counts show.