"GP Ansor  is solid behind Jokowi  and his running mate Jusuf Kalla (JK)," Jabir Alfaruqi, who is chairman of the campaigning team for Jokowi-JK from GP Ansor in Central Java.

         The decision was made at a meeting at the Central Java  office of Nahdatul Ulama attended by  leaders of 25 of 35 GP Ansor branches in the province, Jabir said here on Monday.

         The pair of Jokowi and JK are candidates of the Indonesian Democractic Party of Struggle (PDIP) with support from three other parties - Nasional Demokrat (Nasdem), Partai Kebangkitan Bangsa (PKB)  and Hati Nurani Rakyat (Hanura) to contest the presidential election on July 9.

         "It was a decision of the organization, therefore, all leaders and cadres of GP Ansor are bound to comply with it," Jabir said.

         He said  GP Ansor of Central Java gave its support for the pair of Jokowi-JK  as JK (Jusuf Kalla) is a member of NU . The majority of NU scholars , NU leaders  and nahdliyin (NU adherents) support the presidential and vice presidential candidates.

         "Indeed , there are some NU scholars and leaders that give their support for rival candidates but they are not many," the former chairman of  GP Ansor  in Central Java, said.

         In addition, Jokowi has an excellent track record  when he was mayor of the central Java city of Solo and when later he was elected governor of Jakarta , he said.

         Jokowi is popular  and is know a clean  and hard working leader, he added.

         He said he would soon started consolidation  with parties in the coalition supporting the pair of Jokowi-JK to win the presidential election.

         "All leaders and cadres of  GP Ansor in Central Java will start campaigning for the Jokowi-JK pair in all areas in the province," he added.