Russian communist leader Gennady Zyuganov on Monday submitted documents required to be officially registered as presidential candidate to the Central Election Commission and called on Prime Minister Vladimir Putin to take part in a public debate.
On Saturday, the congress of the Russian Communist Party (KPRF) unanimously nominated its leader Zyuganov to run for president.
It will be the fourth time that Zyuganov, 67, has run for presidency. The previous three times, in 1996, 2000 and 2008, he came second. Zyuganov promised to hold new parliamentary elections if he is elected president.
He also said that TV and radio debates between all presidential candidates, including Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, should be mandatory.
Putin has not ruled out the possibility to hold a televised debate with Zuyganov.
