Gorbachev critical of Putin’s hint at return to presidency

Mikhail Gorbachev,the former Prez of Soviet Union,has criticised PM Vladimir Putin's hint about his likely return to top Kremlin job in 2012.

Mikhail Gorbachev,the former president of Soviet Union,has criticised Prime Minister Vladimir Putin’s hint about his likely return to top Kremlin job in 2012.

I believe that Prime Minister Putin raising of the subject of 2012 (presidential elections) is premature. Moreover,in this conversation,everything came down to ‘we’ll sit down and reach an agreement’.

But if an agreement is to be reached with anyone,it is with the electorate,with the people. But the people were absent from this conversation. I do not think this is right, Gorbachev said in an interview to BBC.

Earlier this month,while meeting top foreign experts on Russia,Putin said that ahead of the 2012 presidential polls he would reach an agreement in this regard with President Dmitry Medvedev because we are of the same blood and of the same political outlook. Putin also told the participants of Valdai Discussion Club of top western Kremlin-watchers that there will not be any rivalry and the issue would be decided through an accord between him and Medvedev.

Gorbachev,known for his ‘Perestroika’ and ‘Glasnost’ reforms to introduce freedom and democracy in the country,dubbed the pro-Putin United Russia ruling party as a bad copy of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union (CPSU).