Wagner is considering launching Otto as governor and Leão as vice-governor.

Romulo Faro - Bahia 247

The order at the Ondina Palace is not to talk about a government crisis, but Jaques Wagner is worried about the decline in his administration's approval ratings and fears the effects of the popular demonstrations that took to the streets of the country on the PT in 2014.

The feeling of favoritism towards the PT party in the gubernatorial election next year is gradually weakening, and expectations are growing that Wagner will accept another party to head the ticket, with the current vice-governor, Otto Alencar (PSD), being the favorite.

Fueled by political maneuvering in virtually all political centers of the state, Otto relies on the wisdom of a former supporter of the Carlist party who is now a staunch ally of the PT, as well as the pressure from the national president of the PSD, Gilberto Kassab, who conditioned his support for President Dilma on the PT's "reciprocity" in five states, including Bahia.

A federal deputy from the government's base, with good connections to Governor Wagner, confided to Bahia 247 that the Workers' Party member is "maturing" a ticket composed of Otto at the head, Deputy João Leão, from the PP party, as vice-governor, and the Senate seat would go to the governor himself.

The source states that among members of the Workers' Party (PT), the understanding is that Senator Walter Pinheiro (PT) would be the candidate with the greatest potential for votes, but that Otto Alencar would be stronger because he also brings political coordination and "does things the way Wagner likes."

The congressman also says that another point Wagner is considering is leaving the government to run for the Senate and "things going wrong in the final stretch." At the beginning of the 2014 talks, the governor himself pointed to running for a seat in the Chamber of Deputies as a strategy to "pull votes" for his successor. The source claims that "Wagner has already given up on that."

What is certain, for now, is that Jaques Wagner is aware of the reality and is seeking swift measures to reverse the decline of his government. He has already announced streamlining the government apparatus and is meeting with various segments of society. Last week there was a meeting with union leaders, and this week the Workers' Party member is talking with religious leaders.