Three Russian political parties merged on Saturday and vowed to take on the main force backing President Vladimir Putin, in what liberals say is a Kremlin manoeuvre to head off any challenge to its power from the left.
The three parties adopt pro-Kremlin policies and are unlikely to pose any threat to Putin's control of the Russian political scene, analysts say. The party underpinning his power, United Russia, is by far Russia's largest force. The merger, planned for months, was quickly approved by the Party of Life of upper house speaker Sergei Mironov, the nationalist Rodina (Motherland) party and the Party of Pensioners. They then elected Mironov chairman.
It gives the party a chance to clear a 7-percent minimum barrier for next year's parliamentary election - a prelude to a presidential election in 2008 when Putin cannot run.
But Mironov said the party had greater goals. "Our aims and plans are far from being limited to our own party. We have a project for the entire country," Mironov told reporters. "Let United Russia watch out for us. Let them be a bit uneasy."
Putin sent a greeting to delegates, who included prominent artists and other figures, describing the event as "proof of growing creative potential in Russian society". Party leaders predicted membership would soar to half a million - official figures put United Russia membership at about 700,000 in 2003. The issue of who the hugely popular Putin will name as his favoured successor has long transfixed Russian politicians.
The Kremlin chief said during his annual phone-in programme that he hoped to retain influence on politics after he leaves office and would disclose his choice of successor in good time. Mironov said the new grouping - dubbed the Party for a Just Russia - would defend the individual and pursue social goals.
He has rejected suggestions that the party was an "invention" stage managed by the Kremlin to prevent any bid to outflank its power from the left. His Party of Life, which has long trailed other groups in polls, scored an upset victory in a local election in southern Russia last week, defeating a United Russia candidate.
Veteran commentator Vladimir Kondratev of NTV television said the party's first test of its popular appeal would be December's regional elections. "It will then become clear whether the gamble of bringing together fragmented leftist parties has paid off and whether within the political system United Russia's 'right foot' will be complemented by a 'left foot,'" Kondratev said.