Campaign teams of Prabowo's rivals meeting in secret to erode his lead

JAKARTA - The campaign teams of rival candidates to Mr Prabowo Subianto, the front runner in Indonesia's Feb 14 presidential election, are meeting in secret to find ways to erode his lead, sources involved in campaigning told The Straits Times.

- Wahyudi Soeriaatmadja

Supporters of Mr Anies Baswedan and Mr Ganjar Pranowo are teaming up to exchange information and strategise their moves, amid claims that Mr Prabowo's camp has been using hardball tactics against them, such as getting security officers to tear down their election posters.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, a campaign strategist for Mr Ganjar told ST: "(Our) teams at the grassroots level, the working level, have been getting in touch informally with the Anies camp to discuss how we can outmanoeuvre them (the Prabowo camp). Our banners, flags were taken down by them. We work together, for example, to help protect these campaign materials."

A senior campaign manager from one of the camps told ST: "Without being orchestrated, our relations (between the Anies and Ganjar camps) are good. It just flows naturally, fuelled by a sense of solidarity. Our grassroots on the ground don't slide-tackle each other."

Despite being ahead of his rivals in several opinion surveys, Mr Prabowo could lose the race if he fails to garner over 50 per cent of the votes on Feb 14 and a run-off vote between the top two contenders is held. If his rivals were to combine forces and consolidate their votes in the second round, scheduled for June 26, they may well pip the defence minister to the post.