Such a development of events did not surprise either analysts or potential candidates for governorship. "I knew beforehand that this may happen," State Duma deputy Viktor Kazakov told Kommersant. In his view, the election will take place next year under the scheme proposed a few days ago by President Vladimir Putin. "I believe matters point to a postponement of the election until the next year," was the suggestion made by Deputy Vladimir Mokry. "Looking at the situation that emerged in the country over the past two to three days, it can be supposed that the Central Election Committee deliberately took time out to sort things and decide which system of election it is going to back."
A ranking source in the Samara regional government assumed that "a new governor of the region is most likely to be elected by deputies of the regional parliament". "The Samara region looks a very convenient place for the trial of the new scheme. The term for which Titov has been elected has already ran out, but no election date has been fixed. I do not rule out that a new governor will be recommended from above by way of experiment, without waiting for amendments to the law," the source summed up.
