Moscow: He will not be Russia s president for weeks, but Dmitry Medvedev has already moved into an office in the Kremlin the seat of power in the nation.

State-run television showed Medvedev dressing down officials in a Kremlin office today, and the Kremlin press service confirmed that he is now working from an office in the big red-brick-walled compound at Moscow s heart rather than Russia s less grandiose government headquarters upriver.

Medvedev, President Vladimir Putin s hand-picked successor, was elected by a large margin March 2 and is scheduled to be inaugurated May 7. The popular Putin is set to become his prime minister, prompting widespread speculation about who will really hold Russia s reins.

The office move looked like part of an effort to create the impression of a smooth transition and boost Medvedev s authority in the eyes of the public and officials used to working for Putin.

Medvedev won more than 70 per cent, according to the official election tally, but Russians saw his victory as a foregone conclusion because of his backing from Putin and the Kremlin in a closely choreographed election. The sense that he was chosen to lead Russians, rather than vice versa, could take the edge off his authority.

Source : PTI