<DIV> A new center-left bloc, Rodina (Motherland), launched its campaign for December’s parliamentary elections yesterday on an anti-oligarch platform – but dismissed suggestions it was backed by the Kremlin as a way of diverting votes from the Communist Party. Rodina, an alliance of 30-odd small political movements ranging from liberal to nationalist, was set up by economist and Communist Duma deputy Sergei Glaziyev and leading pro-Kremlin politician, Dmitry Rogozin. The new party, which has co-opted popular figures including former Russian paratrooper commander General Georgy Shpak and ex-central banker Viktor Gerashchenko, insisted it was an independent force. The Communists have openly accused the Kremlin of being behind the new group.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p> The new party appears to have all the makings of a successful political force and could easily surmount the 5% cut-off vote for Duma entry. Glaziyev is a sensible and well-respected figure who had been touted as a potential leader of a reforming Communist Party – though the party as yet appears unready for reform – while Rogozin has taken a hawkish and high-profile stance on foreign affairs – he is currently chair of the Duma foreign affairs committee – which always plays well with the electorate. It is also worth remembering that more than half <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /><st1:country-region><st1:place>Russia</st1:place></st1:country-region>’s regions have average per capita income below the national average, providing fertile ground for left-wing/nationalist forces.<o:p></o:p> In addition, Rodina’s clear anti-oligarch position – attacks on the country’s despised tycoons dominated speeches at yesterday’s launch – will also play very well with the electorate. This is particularly the case given the Communists are openly taking money from Yukos, headed by oligarch Mikhail Khodorkovsky, to fund its campaign, and Rodina is likely to use this alliance as a stick to beat the Communists with. I have few doubts the presidential administration will provide at least tacit support for the new party – it is keen to shave off some of the Communists large vote – though Glaziyev is a conviction politician and would not front a Kremlin-stooge party. At the same time, the Communists are unlikely to take a huge hit to their vote as the Communist brand is very powerful with the electorate and the vast majority of its supporters – at least 25% of the population – are unlikely to be swayed by the new grouping.<o:p></o:p>  <o:p> </o:p></DIV><hr SIZE=1> Do you Yahoo!? <a href="http://us.rd.yahoo.com/evt=10469/*http://sitebuilder.yahoo.com">Yahoo! SiteBuilder</a> - Free, easy-to-use web site design software