Syamsul Arifin and Gatot Pudjonugroho (North Sumatra)
NORTH SUMATRA Governor-elect Syamsul Arifin, 56, has been a full-time politician his whole life.
The Langkat Regent was the local Golkar leader for many years before crossing over to the United Development Party (PPP) last year. Although he is a Malay community leader, he has good relations with leaders from other communities.
He teamed up with Mr Gatot Pudjonugroho, a 42-year old businessman and Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) politician.
They were not seen as strong contenders for the posts of governor and deputy governor. But the well-oiled PKS and PPP machinery was instrumental in their victory.
Ahmad Heryawan and Dede Yusuf (West Java)
WEST JAVA Governor-elect Ahmad Heryawan, 42, is a local politician and a legislator in the Jakarta Regional Legislative Council. A syariah (Islamic law) graduate from Jakarta's Institute of Islamic and Arabic Studies, he is a senior cadre in the PKS and heads the PKS-affiliated Indonesian Ummat Association, a Muslim group.
His running mate Dede Yusuf, also 42, is a popular film star and a taekwon-do exponent. He is also the deputy chairman of the Indonesian Film Star Association and a regular face in television commercials for a medicinal product. He is a legislator for the National Mandate Party in the Indonesian Parliament.
Both were seen as underdogs in a fight dominated by political veterans in the West Java regional election on Sunday.