State Duma deputy from United Russia Sokol will compete with the current head of Khakassia from the Communist Party

Both the incumbent head of the republic, communist Valentin Konovalov, and United Russia State Duma deputy Sergei Sokol can take part in the election of the head of Khakassia. The fact that such a scenario is being discussed was reported to Vedomosti by two sources close to the presidential administration. According to one of them, Sokol wants to put forward his candidacy, but the issue of Konovalov’s resignation has not yet been resolved.

Sokol, like Konovalov, plans to run for the post of head of Khakassia in 2023, a source close to the regional authorities told Vedomosti, and a source in the Khakass branch of United Russia confirmed it. “Sokol’s nominations have been expected for a long time, the question was whether he would be appointed acting head. As a result, a scenario was agreed in which both of them participate, ”says an interlocutor in the Khakass branch of the party. According to him, Konovalov’s low ratings do not cause concern on Staraya Ploshchad, and therefore it makes no sense to remove a communist who was previously elected only as a result of the second round from the campaign. Sokol, he notes, is popular in the region: he won the last Duma elections in a single-mandate district in the republic.