REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, SURABAYA -- Surabaya Vice Mayor Whisnu Sakti Buana is ready to receive a mandate from his Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDIP) to replace Surabaya Mayor Tri Rismaharini if the latter runs for Jakarta governorship in 2017.

"Regardless of being ready or not, we must be ready as the PDIP has a clear caderization process. The leadership of Surabaya city has always been held by PDIP cadres starting from Mr. Bambang to Mrs. Risma and thus, her successor must be ready for this," he said after attending a plenary meeting of the Surabaya city legislative council (DPRD) on Thursday.

Whisnu said he is still learning how to lead Surabaya, the second biggest city in Indonesia after Jakarta.

He said he has learned much from Tri on how to manage and lead Surabaya properly.

Under the new law on regional head elections, public officials, who intend to nominate themselves for regional head elections, are allowed to take a leave of absence.

"But if I am asked about Ahok's lawsuit against the new law on regional head elections, I will not answer the question because the issue is related to Jakarta," he said.

Several quarters have called for Tri Rismaharini to run for Jakarta governorship in 2017. However, PDIP?s Surabaya chapter has not yet responded to the call.

It is the authority of the party's central executive board whether or not to nominate Risma for the Jakarta governorship in the 2017 election, Whisnu said on Wednesday.

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