Medvedev ‘breaking agreement’ to run for President for second time: Russian MP
May 2nd, 2011 - 1:55 pm ICT by ANIMoscow, May 2 (ANI): Russian President Dmitry Medvedev is putting an effort to extend his tenure in the Kremlin against Prime Minister Vladimir Putin’s wishes, a senior politician from the country’s ruling party has said.
It was widely believed as of now that Medvedev would not contest the presidential elections next March, and allow Putin to take charge of his old job and serve two more terms to 2024.
Konstantin Zatulin, a prominent MP with United Russia, however said that Medvedev’s allies were trying to promote him for a second term.
“Medvedev has decided to put himself forward as a presidential candidate. He feels inspired and he senses a certain support. He has broken the agreement and now Putin will have to persuade him to back off,” The Guardian quoted him, as saying.
On being asked if Putin and Medvedev might go head to head, Zatulin said: “Yes, I think so.”
Medvedev does not have any party of his own, while Putin heads the United Russia, which he uses to exert control over parliament, regional leaders and the bureaucracy.
The party has said that Putin is its preferred candidate, and that it will consider supporting Medvedev only if the former does not run.
Zatulin was removed from his post as deputy chairman of a Duma committee last month, which he says was a punishment by Medvedev’s political fixers inside United Russia for statements he made in the chamber supporting Putin’s “Crusades” comments. (ANI)
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Tags: allies, bureaucracy, crusades, deputy chairman, dmitry medvedev, duma, konstantin, kremlin, old job, politician, preferred candidate, presidential candidate, presidential elections, regional leaders, ruling party, russian mp, russian president, second term, second time, vladimir putin