PRABOWO MEETS PAN LEADER TO EXPLORE COALESCING POSSIBILITY

Jakarta, April 15 (ANTARA) - Greater Indonesia Movement (Gerindra) Party's Supervisory Board chairman Prabowo Subianto met with National Mandate Party (PAN) leader Sutrisno Bachir here on Wednesday to explore the possibility of forming a coalition.

Accompanied by Gerindra cadres Muchdi PR, Fadli Zon, and Halida Hatta, Prabowo arrived at the PAN's Central Executive Board office at 11:45 on Wednesday morning to meet with Sutrisno Bachir, Zulkifli Hasan, and Totok Daryanto.
Before starting the meeting with Prabowo, Sutrisno Bachir said the door of PAN was wide open to any parties for a coalition, including for the political communication with Gerindra.
The PAN leader said his party was predicted to gain 11 to 12 percent of the total votes in the legislative election after the final ballot count to have around 61 to 67 seats in the House of Representatives (DPR).
Commenting on Gerindra, Bachir said the party was predicted to have about 6 percent of the total votes, and if the coalition between PAN and Gerindra was formed , it would be able to gain 17 percent and a few additional votes to make Gerindra eligible to nominate a presidential candidate.
"We hope that new figures will emerge in the upcoming presidential election," Bachir said.