Russia's biggest party to ask Putin to lead it

[Eugene]

Source: Reuters

Russia's biggest party to ask Putin to lead it
Mon Apr 7, 2008 8:02am EDT

By Guy Faulconbridge

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia's biggest party will invite
Vladimir Putin to become its leader, the party's chief
said on Monday, a role that would further bolster Putin's
influence after he steps down from the presidency next
month.

Putin has said he will become prime minister after his
successor, Dmitry Medvedev, is sworn in on May 7 but
leadership of the pro-Kremlin United Russia party would
effectively give him control of parliament, where the
party has a large majority.

"If Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin headed United Russia,
it would be the very best option," Boris Gryzlov, the
head of United Russia and the speaker of the lower
house of parliament, told a news conference.

-snip-

The Kremlin has not given any indication of whether
Putin would accept the invitation to head the party.
A Kremlin spokesman last week declined to comment on
rumors Putin could become United Russia leader.

-snip-

Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUSL0735760920080407

[Doctor Cynic]

1. and this comes as a complete and out of the blue shock.