Perennial campaigner Gennady Zyuganov - boss of the Communist Party, and the John Major of Russian politics - took a break from running for the Presidency in 2004.  But now he’s back, and a cert to stand for the Presidency in 2008. 

Here, Zyuganov gives a fascinating interview with Moskovsky Komsomolets, where he takes great pains distance himself from Vladimir Putin:

Question: What about your relations with Putin? You usually criticize United Russia or the government. When it comes down to the president himself, you close up or become extremely polite and tactful.

Gennadi Zyuganov: In my view, Putin and the government are proteges of the modern oligarchy carrying out its orders. We expected Putin to part company with it but he never did. I thought he was fairly independent in the matter of appointing ministers, but even that was a mistake. We have a furniture dealer in charge of the Defense Ministry now: an affront in the eyes of every career officer. In short, I know now that I was wrong about Putin.

As for my criticism of the president… Criticizing an individual or two is no use. Rotten nature of the whole system, corruption, absence of strategy, and inability to tackle major tasks - that’s what has to be exposed. This is what I’m convinced of.

Here’s my prediction: Zyuganov will be the runner up in next year’s Presidential election.  Again.