Former head of the Moscow regional committee of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation Valery Rashkin does not want to move to Saratov

The return of the ex-head of the Moscow regional committee of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation Valery Rashkin to his “almost native” Saratov on the “recommendation” of the presidium of the Central Committee of the party was in question. As Olga Alimova, the leader of the Saratov communists, reminded, in order to register with the local party cell, Mr. Rashkin must check out of his home in the capital. However, the politician himself, who lost his mandate as a State Duma deputy after a suspended sentence for illegal hunting, says that he has not seen the decision of the presidium to remove him from the party membership in Moscow and has no plans to move yet.

Vedomosti reported in the middle of last week that the Presidium of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation removed Valery Rashkin from party registration in the Moscow branch and recommended that he register in Saratov. The press secretary of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation, State Duma deputy Alexander Yushchenko confirmed this fact to Kommersant, explaining that the move to the city where Mr. Rashkin received a higher education, began his political career and from 1993 to 2011 headed the regional committee of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation, is needed to strengthen the work of the Saratov party cell: “There is a party decision to send him to the Saratov organization in which he worked, proved himself and has the opportunity for further active party work.”

Meanwhile, the first secretary of the Saratov regional committee of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation, State Duma deputy Olga Alimova doubts the possibility of Valery Rashkin’s return.

“In our charter.— “Kommersant”) is written: as a rule, he (a member of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation.— “Kommersant”) must be located in the primary department at the place of registration. I don’t think he will work in Saratov, I have great doubts about it. But, let’s say, if he is involved in the Volga District at the federal level, he may be registered in Moscow. We haven’t discussed this issue yet,” the deputy told Kommersant.

Clause 2.14 of the Charter of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation states that a member of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation is registered in the primary branch located on the territory of the constituent entity of the Russian Federation where the party member permanently or primarily resides. In addition, a member of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation can be registered with only one primary party branch.

Ms. Alimova also did not agree with Mr. Yushchenko’s argument about “strengthening the work” of the Saratov party organization. “Ours is already strong. Valery Fedorovich (Rashkin.— “Kommersant”) did everything possible to make her strong. He left a strong party organization, and we keep this brand,” the deputy assured, recalling that Mr. Rashkin has “colossal experience” of working in the party.

Other Saratov communists also note that, even while in Moscow, Mr. Rashkin continues to participate in their events and meetings. “We have good comradely relations with him, we haven’t lost touch. He regularly participates in plenums and conferences. Over the past ten years, he has always been with Saratov, once every three months he is here,” deputy of the Saratov Regional Duma Vladimir Esipov told Kommersant.

Valery Rashkin himself told Kommersant that he had not yet familiarized himself with the decision of the Presidium of the Central Committee: “I was not notified, no one called me. Probably something has been decided, but I need to look.”

He also reminded that you need to stand on the desk at your place of registration. “I am registered on Blagoveshchenskaya, I live with my son, I have a Muscovite card, and as you know, it is only given to Muscovites. I have one option (partuchet.— “Kommersant”) — in Moscow,” the communist emphasized.

Let us recall that Valery Rashkin has been a State Duma deputy since 1999, and since 2010 he has headed the Moscow regional committee of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation. In April 2022 he was sentenced to three years probation for illegal hunting in the Saratov region, and in May the Duma deprived his parliamentary powers, and the capital’s communists – the post of first secretary of the regional committee.

Saratov political scientist Vsevolod Kolobrodov believes that for local communists the return of Mr. Rashkin would be useful: “For the regional committee of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation, this is, of course, a strengthening, after all, a person with great political scope and experience. As for Rashkin’s own desire, I think there is little of it: not only is the life of a Moscow politician different from life in the provinces, but also the “entertainment” in his native region led the politician to unpleasant consequences.” But it is much more difficult to predict how much this move could affect the political climate in the region, the expert adds: “The peak of Rashkin’s power in the Saratov region occurred at a different time, with other elites.”

Olga Simonova, Saratov