The popular former Russian prime minister, Mr Yevgeny Primakov, faced growing pressure yesterday to ally himself with a leading centrist party to contest Russia's parliamentary elections in December, but late yesterday he had not made his political future clear.
The bloc of the Fatherland party and the All Russia group, which brings together the powerful Moscow mayor, Mr Yuri Luzhkov, and top regional bosses, said it already had him on board.
Interfax news agency quoted sources in the Fatherland/All Russia alliance as saying it had officially invited Mr Primakov to head its party list in the election for the lower house of parliament, the State Duma.
Mr Vladimir Yakovlev, a co-chairman of the bloc and the governor of St Petersburg, said Mr Primakov had assured him he would join the alliance once he got an official offer.
Mr Primakov, who was sacked as prime minister by President Yeltsin in May, indicated that he favours centrist forces such as the Luzhkov bloc. Political analysts say that any party or bloc which he supported would get a huge boost for the December 19th vote.
Any entrance by Mr Primakov into the political fray is likely to hurt Mr Yeltsin's plans to see a new president whom he favours rather than a political opponent such as Mr Primakov or Mr Luzhkov.
Mr Primakov, a political conservative, managed when he was prime minister to steer Russia away from complete economic and political meltdown that many predicted was inevitable.
His sacking by Mr Yeltsin, who became increasingly jealous of Mr Primakov's rising authority, only boosted his popularity.
Union with Mr Primakov could help Fatherland-All Russia become the biggest force in the Duma and bring it close to forming what it calls a pragmatic non-Communist legislature.