Ahok Has a Chance to Take PKB, PAN Votes: Watchdog
Jakarta. Quick count results indicate that incumbent Jakarta Governor Basuki "Ahok" Tjahaja Purnama and his running mate Djarot Saiful Hidayat will compete for the capital city's gubernatorial office against Anies Baswedan and Sandiaga Uno in April, as the election will go to second round to decide the winner.
Ahok-Djarot obtained 5 percent more than Anies-Sandiaga in all quick counts, while Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono and Sylviana Murni admitted defeat on Wednesday evening (15/02).
In the runoff, the incumbents will try to take over the votes from the National Mandate Party (PAN) and the National Awakening Party (PKB), while the Democrat Party and the United Development Party (PPP) are likely to support Anies.
PKB and PAN might choose Ahok-Djarot, as they have been supporting President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo's administration, Independent Election Monitoring Committee (KIPP) secretary general Englebert Jojo Rohi.
"PKB and PAN, which joined Agus-Sylviana, will most likely switch their support to Ahok-Djarot," Jojo told Suara Pembaruan.
He added that the incumbent pair should also play the "bandwagon effect" if they want to win.
The bandwagon effect is a psychological phenomenon whereby people do something because others do it too, regardless of their own beliefs.
"If Ahok-Djarot's campaign team plays the bandwagon effect well, they will win the runoff," Jojo said.
The public, according to the political observer, does not want to support a pair with lower approval ratings. Ahok-Djarot will lose if they are unable to play the strategy well, or if Anies-Sandi manage to counter it.
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