Jakarta. Former Jakarta Governor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, popularly known as Ahok, said Wednesday he is ready to seek reelection if the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) nominates him.

The Jakarta election requires a party to have at least 22 seats in the provincial legislature to be eligible to put a candidate on the ballot. With only 15 seats, PDI-P must establish a coalition with another party.

Amid growing uncertainty about PDI-P’s nominee for the Jakarta governor, Ahok said he’s on standby.

"As a party member, I must get myself prepared for that assignment,” Ahok said when asked by reporters about his potential candidacy at the PDI-P headquarters in Central Jakarta.

According to him, PDI-P leaders are still in talks with other parties to establish a coalition.

"Whatever decision is taken by the party, all members must comply or leave out," Ahok said.

Several polls indicated that Ahok remains a strong contender for the Jakarta gubernatorial election. He was ranked second after his successor Anies Baswedan and led within the margin of error over former West Java Governor Ridwan Kamil.

Ridwan has been assured a ticket for the election with support from at least four incumbent parties while Anies is in search of a political vehicle after the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) and the National Democratic Party (Nasdem) signaled to abandon their support from him.

Anies defeated incumbent Governor Ahok in the heated gubernatorial election marred by sectarian issues in 2017. Before the voting, millions of Muslims staged rallies against the Christian governor over accusations that Ahok had insulted Islam by misinterpreting a verse from the Quran.

After his election defeat, Ahok was sentenced to two years in prison for blasphemy.

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