A communist candidate who is challenging President Nazarbayev of Kazakhstan in the January 10th elections, has dismissed local press reports that he might have to pull out of the presidential race.

Speaking to the BBC, Serikbolsyn Abdildin said he was well on the way to collecting the required number of signatures to support his candicacy.

But he complained that in many areas his party workers were being prevented by the authorities from campaigning and obtaining signatures.

Under election rules in Kazakhstan, candidates need one-hundred and seventy-thousand signatures before they can stand for the Presidency.