United Russia may convene earlier than scheduled

The second part of the pro-Kremlin United Russia party congress may take place in mid-November, a month earlier than previously scheduled, the Kommersant business daily wrote on Thursday. The first part of the party congress was held on September 23-24, and the second was scheduled to take place in mid-December, after parliamentary elections. "At the moment we presume that the final part of the congress will be held before the December 4 State Duma elections," said Dmitry Peskov, a spokesman for the Russian premier. During the September congress, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev proposed Prime Minister Vladimir Putin to run for Russian president in next year's election and said he was ready to do "practical work in the government." Peskov said he had no information on whether the candidacy of Putin will be officially put forward before the parliamentary elections. According to the Russian election laws, parties are allowed to put forward their presidential candidates as soon as the election date is officially announced. The Federation Council should make the formal announcement from November 25 to December 5. Under the law, the elections are to take place on the first Sunday of March - March 4,and the date should be formally announced no earlier than 100 days and no later than 90 days before the expected election date.