April 08, 2008	Tuesday	Rabi-us-Sani 1, 1429

MOSCOW, April 7: 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. He said both Putin and Medvedev were expected to attend United Russia’s congress, which opens in Moscow on April 14.

“Such a proposal will probably be made at the congress. I could myself make the proposal and that would be the correct way,” said Gryzlov.

The Kremlin has not given any indication of whether Putin would accept the invitation to head the party. A Kremlin spokesman declined to comment when asked on Monday if Putin would become United Russia leader.

Some analysts say Putin, and not Medvedev, will hold the real power after the change-over.

ULITMATE DESTINATION: Christopher Granville, managing director of Trusted Sources, a London-based investment research service, said the Putin premiership was an interim arrangement and that in the longer term he would exercise influence as party chief.

“It has always been the most obvious thing for him to do in order for him to remain the supreme arbiter of policy and of the country’s development and modernisation,” said Granville. “This is the ultimate destination.”

“The plan for the premiership is to help the Medvedev administration get off to a good start ... and once the fledgling can fly with its own wings properly that is the moment when Putin will probably step back and continue as leader of the party,” Granville said.

Control over the majority in the State Duma, or lower house of parliament, would further entrench Putin’s position. The president has the power to sack the prime minister but he has to seek parliament’s approval to appoint a new premier.

—Reuters