The presidential elections will be held in the republic later this year under the new local constitution that introduced the presidential post in 2003 after a referendum in the spring of 1999. However, no elections have been held while incumbent Daghestani leader, Magomedali Magomedov, was in power.
On Wednesday, Magomedov announced his early resignation. "I decided to leave...ahead of time, on my own initiative," he said, adding that he had already informed President Vladimir Putin about his decision.
As head of the local governing body, the state council, Soviet functionary Magomedov has been in office since 1994.
Until now, the top ruling body in Daghestan had been the state council, which consisted of representatives of the 14 ethnicities living in the province, who elected the republic's leader.
Under the new constitution, the winner in the upcoming presidential elections must secure 50% of the vote.
According to Dmitry Kozak, Putin's envoy to the Southern Federal District, the presidential candidates are: Chairman of the local legislature Mukha Aliyev, Mayor of the Daghestani capital Makhachkala Said Amirov, and head of the republic's treasury Saigidguseyn Magomedov.
Kozak is in Daghestan for meetings with local legislators, local government officials, and public and religious figures.
