Solo. Elected vice president Gibran Rakabuming Raka claimed Thursday that he had received congratulatory messages from many executives of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) which he left when he became a running mate for a rival presidential candidate.

Like his father, President Joko Widodo, Gibran built his political career with the PDI-P and he won the mayoral election in Solo, Central Java three years ago with the party’s support.

However, he distanced himself from the party in October 2023 when he became the running mate of Prabowo Subianto, the eventual winner of the Feb. 14 presidential election.

In May 2023, a month after the PDI-P announced Ganjar Pranowo as its presidential nominee, Gibran was summoned by the party to clarify his attendance at a gathering where Prabowo met with his supporters in Solo.

Gibran was eventually nominated as the ticket mate for Prabowo by the Golkar Party, marking his departure from the PDI-P.

Prabowo and Gibran were officially announced winners of the presidential election by the General Election Commission on Wednesday after securing 58.58 percent of the vote.

As emotions are running high in the PDI-P following Ganjar’s defeat and anger is directed toward him, Gibran said that many party executives still maintain good personal relationships with him.

“Many from the PDI-P have congratulated me, from ordinary party members to executives, from mayors and regents to House of Representatives members,” Gibran told reporters in Solo.

“Some of them even called me right after the quick count results came out although they were too shy to say it in public,” he added. 

When asked if House Speaker Puan Maharani was among them, Gibran said ‘no’. Puan is the daughter of PDI-P Chairwoman Megawati Soekarnoputri.

Gibran has not announced which party he will join while awaiting the inauguration scheduled for October 20.

During the presidential election, Prabowo and Gibran were supported by a coalition of four incumbent parties, including Prabowo’s Great Indonesia Movement Party (Gerindra), the Golkar Party, the National Mandate Party (PAN), and the Democratic Party.

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