By RIA Novosti
Moscow : The pro-Kremlin United Russia party officially nominated First Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev as its candidate to run for the president in the March 2008 elections.
Medvedev was nominated at a party convention Monday with 478 delegates voting in favour, and one against, his candidacy.
Last week, the United Russia party along with three other pro-Kremlin parties named Medvedev as their candidate to run for the polls. His nomination was backed by President Vladimir Putin.
On Dec 11, Medvedev proposed that Putin be appointed prime minister after the March 2008 presidential election.
Medvedev said if elected president, he would follow the guidelines set out by Putin. He did not specify or clarify the exact details of the current president’s plan.
Before voting on Medvedev’s candidacy, Putin told the delegates that he would agree to become Russia’s prime minister if Medvedev wins the 2008 presidential election.
“If today Russians demonstrate their trust in Dmitry Medvedev, then I am ready to continue our common policy in the post of head of the Russian government,” Putin said.
He also said he would work as premier without any reorganisation of powers between the presidential and prime ministerial posts. However, some experts called into question Putin’s assurances that there would be no redistribution of powers in favour of the prime minister.