Thursday, September 7 2006 16:06 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Moscow: Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Fradkov may lose his job next month as the Kremlin prepares to launch 'Operation Successor' to install a new man to replace President Vladimir Putin in 2008.

Fradkov, who was appointed to the top cabinet post in 2004, could be moved to another job in October to make way for the First Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev widely tipped to be one of Putin's likely successors, a daily Noviye Izvestia said today (Sept 7, 2006).

"Some key ministers including Interior Minister Rashid Nurgaliyev and Natural Resources Minister Yuri Trutnev are also likely to lose their jobs in the cabinet reshuffle, although the controversial Economy and Trade Minister German Gref is likely to retain his job," the paper quoting Duma sources, said.

The daily said it was possible that ahead of the 2007 Duma polls the Kremlin wanted to write off the policy failures by blaming the Fradkov cabinet and has launched 'Operation Successor' even as Medvedyev was already looking after four national projects of housing, agriculture, education and health.

Influential St Petersburg Governor Valentina Matviyenko, a former deputy prime minister in Yeltsin cabinet, is also seen as one of the candidates for the Prime Ministerial job and Putin's successor, it said.

According to earlier media reports, Matviyenko is said to have offered Putin to keep the presidential seat warm for him for the 2012 elections as in accordance with the Russian constitution he cannot seek a re-election for the third consecutive term in 2008.