MOSCOW, October 2 (RIA Novosti) - A congress of the pro-Kremlin United Russia party has nominated President Vladimir Putin as the only leader on the federal party list, abandoning the "leading troika" practice.
The president, whose term expires in March, agreed on Monday to lead the party into the December parliamentary elections.
The one-leader proposal, made by the party's General Council, was backed by 476 votes out of 503.
Andrei Vorobyov, head of the party's Central Executive Committee, said United Russia is planning to submit a federal list, comprising 600 candidates, to the Central Election Commission on October 4.
The congress also approved regional lists of party candidates. Party leader Boris Gryzlov heads the regional list for St. Petersburg, followed by the city governor, Valentina Matviyenko.
Other co-chairmen of the General Council also lead United Russia regional lists, with the Mayor of Moscow Yury Luzhkov representing the Russian capital, and emergencies minister Sergei Shoigu heading the regional group for the Stavropol Territory, where United Russia lost in elections to the regional legislature last year.
Mintimer Shaimiyev will lead the party list for the Republic of Tatarstan, where he holds the presidential post.
