Zyuganov re-elected as the leader of KPRF

The Russian Communist party has re-elected Gennady Zyuganov as its chairman despite fierce criticism from some delegates. During a two-day congress which ended on Sunday, Mr Zyuganov and other Communist MPs came under attack for what was termed their lack of initiative and the party's poor showing in parliamentary elections. Although the Communists remain Russia's largest political party, they lost their dominant position in the Duma, the lower house of parliament, last year. Many speakers at the Communist congress accused Mr Zyuganov of moving too close to the Putin administration. However, BBC reports, Mr Zyuganov stuck to a conservative position, making regular use of Marxist buzzwords such as "bourgeois" and "proletariat". Mr Zyuganov was also questioned over his joint role as party chief and head of the party within parliament. The speaker of the Duma, Gennady Seleznyov was also re-elected to the central committee of the party.