Chechen poll loses key candidates

Aslakhanov said he would not participate in a 'farce'

Chechnya's presidential election has lost two of its main contenders, turning the contest into what analysts say is a virtually one-horse race for Moscow's favoured candidate.

One of the candidates, businessman Malik Saidullayev, was struck off the ballot by Chechnya's Supreme court on charges of forging signatures on nominations lists.

The move came just hours after the second candidate, Aslambek Aslakhanov - the only serving deputy from Chechnya in the Russian State Duma - said he had decided to withdraw from the race.

Analysts say that this leaves the current head of the pro-Moscow administration in Chechnya, Akhmad Kadyrov, as a clear favourite to get the top job in the 5 October elections.

If I fail [with the appeal], Kadyrov will not be the winner, he will be an illegitimate president. What does this mean for Chechnya's future? It means war Malik Saidullayev

The elections - now reduced to eight candidates - are presented by the Kremlin as a crucial step towards a political settlement in the breakaway republic, which has suffered years of armed conflict.

The BBC's Nikolai Gorshkov in Moscow says that the latest developments have given rise to accusation of political meddling in the democratic process in Chechnya.

'Complete farce'

Russia's news agencies said the Supreme Court cancelled Mr Saidullayev's registration after an appeal from another candidate, Nikolai Paizulayev. He said that signatures on Mr Saidullayev's nominating petitions were forged.

Current pro-Moscow leader Akhmad Kadyrov is the Kremlin's choice

But some analysts suggest this happened right after Mr Saidullayev had indirectly accused Mr Kadyrov of harassing his rivals in the race.

Mr Saidullayev said that the Chechen police, headed by Mr Kadyrov's son, was using violence against his father's opponents.

The accusations were voiced after a son of Mr Saidullayev's campaign manager was killed on Wednesday by masked men.

On Thursday, Mr Saidullayev said he would appeal against the court decision, describing it as "a complete farce".

"If I fail [with the appeal], Kadyrov will not be the winner, he will be an illegitimate president. What does this mean for Chechnya's future? It means war," Mr Saidullayev told Reuters news agency.

'Tense situation'

Earlier on Thursday, Mr Aslakhanov, said he had made the decision to pull out of the race with difficulty, after consultations with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

He told a news conference he had accepted Mr Putin's offer to be the Kremlin aide in charge of affairs in southern Russia - a job which, Mr Aslakhanov said, would allow him to do more for Chechnya than in his current role.

"I wouldn't like anyone to think that I was acting under pressure," he said in a statement broadcast by Russian TV. "It's impossible to pressurise me."

He said that his decision was partly motivated by the situation on the ground.

"The situation in Chechnya remains tense, the necessary conditions have not been created," Itar-Tass news agency quoted him as saying.

Last week Mr Aslakhanov had said that he would only withdraw if he was stopped by a bullet, thrown out of the race or if it turned into a "farce".

'Road swept clean'

The Chechen poll is one of a series of measures aimed at stabilising the region, which began with a controversial constitutional referendum in March.

Moscow has not publicly backed any of the candidates.

But Mr Kadyrov - who appears to support Moscow's policy of rejecting any talks with the rebels - is seen by many as the Kremlin's favourite for the top job in Chechnya, our correspondent says.

He says it appears now that - as one of the two ex-candidates put it - the road for Mr Kadyrov has been swept clean.

Experts say that he poll is also intended to undermine whatever legitimacy remains of Aslan Maskhadov, who was elected the president of Chechnya in 1997 but now is in hiding.