Jakarta. Jakarta gubernatorial candidate Pramono Anung and his running mate Rano Karno unexpectedly met with former governor Anies Baswedan during a morning walk on Sudirman Street in the heart of the capital city.

Every Sunday, the street is closed to motor vehicles to provide space for Jakarta residents to enjoy morning recreation.

“By chance, we ran into Brother Anies at the Pinisi pedestrian bridge. It was an unplanned meeting,” Rano said.

Pramono added that he intends to meet with Anies again to discuss the challenges currently facing Jakarta so he can hit the ground running if elected in the November 27 election.

"I’ve told Brother Rano that we should meet with all living former governors, such as Sutiyoso, Fauzi Bowo, Anies, and Basuki Tjahaja Purnama,” Pramono said.

Also on that list is the current acting governor, Heru Budi Hartono, who was appointed by the president to serve in the role until a newly elected governor is sworn in.

However, Pramono made no mention of President Joko Widodo, who served as Jakarta's governor from 2012 until his election as president in 2014.

Pramono is a close aide to the president, currently serving as cabinet secretary.

Anies, considered the early frontrunner in the Jakarta gubernatorial race according to many polls, failed to secure a nomination after his political allies backed other candidates. The Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) also rejected his bid for the nomination, instead selecting Pramono and Rano as their candidates.

Anies missed the deadline to register as an independent candidate but still commands a strong support base, which could be an asset to any candidate seen as aligned with him.

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