A very popular Indonesian ruling party member has been put in the limelight after he was blatantly excluded from a guest list at a recent Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) event aimed at consolidating support in the province Central Java before the general of 2024. election.

Central Java Governor Ganjar Pranowo has apparently found himself in the niche for what his party cadres perceive to be his over-ambition. It was a political déjà vu of the treatment in 2013 of the governor of Jakarta, Joko Widodo, now president, who would later be chosen by the PDI-P to be its presidential candidate.

The weekend event was well attended by mayors, PDI-P regents of Central Java Province and party colleagues. Presidential aspirant Puan Maharani, daughter of party chairman Megawati Soekarnoputri, delivered a keynote address.

Ms Puan, former minister, is the current Speaker of Parliament.

Explaining the snub, a leader of the PDI-P party alleged that Mr. Ganjar had obviously promoted himself on social media without coordinating with the party.

Mr Ganjar, 52, runs his own YouTube channel to showcase milestones in his work and other activities, such as speeches and visits to street food stores popular with the community.

A 3.5-minute video at the start of the pandemic in March last year saw Mr. Ganjar talking on the phone with doctor Handoko Gunawan, 80, who was on the front line treating coronavirus patients. The video went viral and was widely praised.

“The last time, the victory in the local elections was the sign of a chance for someone to win a presidential race. Today, this is how we manage the Covid-19 pandemic”, Mr. Metta Dharmasaputra, co-founder and managing director of the Jakarta-based firm and research firm Katadata, told the Straits Times.

A video uploaded earlier this week to Mr. Ganjar’s YouTube channel shows a South Korean company innovating in the construction of a 5 trillion rupee (S $ 463 million) factory in Central Java, which would employ 1,200 workers. He promised two more heavyweight names would follow.

These movements, however, did not go well within his party.

“If he wants to be a presidential candidate, he must obtain the prior consent of the president of the party that holds the authority,” said Bambang Wuryanto, a member of the PDI-P central office responsible for campaigning for the elections. general. PDI-P candidate Mr Ganjar was elected governor of Central Java in 2018 and his term ends in 2023.

In the provincial and presidential elections in Indonesia, voters directly elect their candidate. In legislative elections for seats in Parliament, voters directly choose the party by which they want to be represented.

“His assigned duty is to be governor. At the end of his term, he must first report to the party chairman,” Bambang said.

Mr. Ganjar did not respond to ST’s comments.

In 2013, Mr. Widodo also faced opposition from the PDI-P elites, including Ms. Puan, and later the party’s general secretary, Tjahjo Kumolo, who wanted Mr. Widodo to complete his 2012 term as governor of Jakarta. to 2017. But the party chairman, Megawati, then decided to nominate Mr. Widodo for the presidential election.

Mr. Ganjar has consistently overtaken Ms. Puan in recent popularity polls. All surveys put it above 10 percent, with Ms. Puan behind with less than 5 percent of respondent support.

The next presidential election in Indonesia is three years away, but several prominent figures are preparing to publish their names as potential candidates.

The 2024 election is attractive to potential candidates because they wouldn’t face an incumbent president who would typically have a big political advantage over challengers. Mr. Widodo is serving his second five-year term and cannot stand for re-election under the Indonesian Constitution.

The apparent contenders for the 2024 race are State Enterprise Minister Erick Thohir, 50, and Economic Coordination Minister Airlangga Hartarto, 58, who is also chair of the country’s oldest party, Golkar. Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto, 68, who was beaten twice when he ran against Mr Widodo, may also run for the third time.

Outside the Cabinet, in addition to Mr Ganjar, there are two other ambitious provincial governors eyeing the first post: Anies Baswedan from Jakarta, 52, and Ridwan Kamil from West Java, 49.