Moscow: Russia's supreme court gave the green light for President Vladimir Putin to lead his party in elections amid a new call for the Kremlin leader to be allowed to stay in office beyond 2008. The court yesterday threw out a complaint by the opposition Union of Rightist Forces party accusing Putin of using his office to campaign for his United Russia party ahead of the December 2 vote.

The party had asked the court to remove Putin from the United Russia candidate list,arguing in the complaint filed only five days ago that he was violating election laws.

Putin announced last month he would be heading United Russia s list of candidates in the elections that will be held just three months before presidential polls that are to choose his successor.

But the Kremlin leader has said that a convincing victory by United Russia in the elections would give him the "moral right" to continue playing a role in politics.
Putin has suggested he could serve as prime minister, sparking speculation this would open the door to his return to the presidency in 2012 after his successor's four-year presidential term ends.

The court ruling came as the latest pro-Putin group to emerge, the "For Putin" movement, is to hold a large election rally at a Moscow stadium today at which the president is expected to make an address.

The former KGB officer, who served as former president Boris Yeltsin s prime minister before succeeding him in 2000, is barred by Russia s constitution from seeking a third term in office.

Source : PTI