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One of Indonesian strongest presidential candidates Prabowo Subianto on Tuesday said that he decided to pair with Hatta Rajasa, chairman of the National Mandate Party (PAN), the sixth rank on the recent legislative polls, to vie for the upcoming presidential race.
The retired army general Prabowo, the chairman of the Great Indonesian Movement Party (Gerindra), the third rank at the April 9 legislative polls with 18.81 percent votes, made the statement after meeting Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono at the State Palace.
Prabowo said that he his visit aimed to obtain permission from the president to pick up his Economic Minister Hatta as his partner. The minister submitted his resignation letter on Tuesday.
"The party that I lead and the party that Mr. Hatta lead insist on setting up a political cooperation, political coalition, to jointly struggle to proceed what have been struggled by the leaders of the nation," Prabowo told a press conference at the palace.
On Monday both parties agreed to establish a coalition.
Joko Widodo, nominated by the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), the winner of the recent legislative polls, is the strongest rival of Mr. Prabowo.
Mr. Jokowi, the popular nickname for governor of Jakarta Joko Widodo, 52 years old, has topped several surveys on the winner of Indonesian presidential election.
The Indonesia's presidential front runner planed to pick up partner this week.
Since the announcement of several quick count results after the April 9 legislative polls, political parties have been scrambling to find partners of their presidential candidate who may bring more votes, or negotiating with parties with larger votes for political bargaining position after the presidential polls.
