Communists Ready to Put up Candidate for Presidency

Gennady Zyuganov is currently considered to be a spare candidate
Gazeta reports that Russia's Communist Party may propose incumbent mayor of the city of Norilsk Valery Melnikov as candidate at the forthcoming presidential election. Communist Gennady Semigin, vice-speaker of the State Duma of the third convocation has already started his pre-election campaign. Secretary of the RF Communist Party Central Committee Tatyana Astrakhankina would not mind becoming the president of Russia as well. Gennady Zyuganov is currently considered to be a spare candidate, the edition reports.

Former miner, ex-leader of Nornickel trade union Valery Melnikov does not belong to the Communist Party but supports the leftist movement. He told Gazeta that he would nominate his candidature for the presidential election from the Communist Party. A spokesperson for the Communist Party says: "Valery Melnikov is a man of success. He won the mayor election in the city controlled by United Russia and the Interros holding. He opposed big money and the strongest administrative pressure. The candidate managed to win 53 per cent of votes in the first round. This is the candidate that we need."
 
Gennady Semigin, a candidate supported by the Kremlin is the key opponent to Gennady Zyuganov at the presidential election. Gennady Semigin is going to propose his candidature for the presidential election at a party congress on December 27. Second important figure in the Communist Party, Valentin Kuptsov pushed Gennady Semigin to the Communist Party electoral list contrary to Zyuganov's opinion, Gazeta states.