Bandung, West Java (ANTARA News) - The participation of populist governor of Jakarta, Joko Widodo (Jokowi), in the campaign of Rieke Diah Pitaloka and Teten Masduki for West Java governor and vice governor has been found increasing the ticket`s electability.

The electability of Rieke and Teten in the election later this month has risen significantly according to a survey carried out by Bandung-based state University of Padjajaran, the university`s official said here on Tuesday.

"The electability of Rieke and Teten has risen significantly compared to that from first and second surveys," the head of Statistics Study of the Statistics Department of Padjadjaran University, the survey organizer, Toni Toharudin, said.

He said in the second survey on November 30 to December 12 2012 the ticket`s electability was only 10.44 percent but "in the third survey held from February 11 to 17, 2013 it rose to 22.81 percent."

"There has been a sharp increase in the electability of Rieke-Teten possibly because of a campaign strategy of involving sympathizers and volunteers," he said.

Rieke-Teten campaign had also involved former president and general chairperson of the Indonesia Democratic Party Struggle (PDIP) Megawati Soekarnoputri in the rallies.

Toni said it was not impossible that the PDIP ticket could become a dark horse in the election on February 24.

"It was not impossible for the ticket to be a dark horse if a good momentum comes to change the public`s opinion," he said.

With regard to Jokowi`s participation in the Rieke-Teten campaign rally in Racaekek, Bandung district, on February 16, the district`s regional election monitoring agency head, Ihat Subihat, said that it had violated the rule.

Due to that he said Rieke-Teten could be banned to conduct more campaign rallies. He added however the decision to give the sanction still had yet to be made by the provincial election monitoring agency.(*)

Editor: Heru Purwanto
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