Jokowi makes last ditch attempt to salvage ‘grand alliance’

President Joko Widodo (third right), accompanied by National Mandate Party chairman Zulkifli Hasan (second right), Golkar Party chairman Airlangga Hartarto (third left), Gerindra chairman Prabowo Subianto (second left), National Awakening Party chairman Abdul Muhaimin Iskandar (left) and United Development Party (PPP) acting chairman M. Mardiono (right), giving a press statement after attending a Ramadan gathering at the PAN central executive board office in Jakarta on April 2, 2023. - Antara

JAKARTA (The Jakarta Post): President Joko 'Jokowi' Widodo is making a last-ditch effort to put together a united front to nip opposition figurehead and presidential hopeful Anies Baswedan’s chances in the bud and conclude the 2024 election in a single round, just as coalition parties hit a wall in deciding the best candidate pairing to win the race.

Jokowi on Tuesday (May 2) hosted a halal-bihalal (post-Ramadhan gathering) for leaders of major pro-government parties, in which they discussed plans to stitch together a “grand alliance” to back election frontrunners Ganjar Pranowo and Prabowo Subianto as a pair, according to a close ally of the President.