Jakarta. An unexpected rift within the campaign team of presidential hopeful Anies Baswedan has surfaced as two key members publicly clashed over the prospect of forming coalitions with other political parties in the event of a runoff.

Recent surveys suggest that Anies might face off against early frontrunner Prabowo Subianto in a head-to-head battle if none of the candidates secures an outright win in the February 14 election. This shift in the landscape places the former Jakarta governor ahead of Ganjar Pranowo, who has slipped to third in various polls.

However, tensions arose when a politician within Anies' campaign team dismissed speculations about expanding the coalition with political parties aligned with Ganjar in a potential runoff.

Ahmad Ali, deputy chairman of the National Democratic Party (Nasdem), a leading force in the three-party coalition supporting Anies, rebuffed the idea of forming alliances beyond the electorate. 

"We are not forging alliances with any specific group; our allegiance lies with the people. Engaging with the Ganjar campaign team is not feasible as we are direct competitors," stated Ahmad.

He revealed the team's intention to engage with Ganjar's supporters, but not with the candidate himself “who represents just one vote”.

"While we communicate with those who support Ganjar, we must be cautious of individuals claiming to speak on behalf of the people," Ahmad said.

These comments drew a strong rebuke from fellow campaign member Sudirman Said, who condemned Ahmad's remarks as "provocative" and potentially unsettling for volunteers, voters, and coalition members within the Anies camp.

“I’m not sure that Ahmad Ali’s statements and attitudes represent his party’s line. They may reflect solely his personal stance but maybe his personality has become so obvious that others inside his party are reluctant to correct him,” Sudirman said in a statement.

He added that in any competition, it’s very common for rivals to communicate among themselves and discuss a possible coalition.

The Anies campaign team adopts the structure of a football organization, portraying Ahmad as the "head coach" and Sudirman as the "co-captain".

Political analyst Ujang Komarudin commented on the discord between the two figures, warning of potential internal divisions plaguing Anies' campaign. "Immediate resolution of this discord is crucial; failure to address it promptly may escalate and detrimentally impact the campaign from within," said Ujang, a lecturer at Indonesia Al Azhar University.

Despite the public disagreement among key team members, Anies Baswedan has chosen not to publicly address the issue in several recent public appearances.