Party's Over...Prokhorov Quits "Right Cause", Claiming Kremlin Takeover

Mikhail Prokhorov is learning what other Russian business leaders with political ambitions have found out in the past: Don't fly too close to the flame of power or you'll get burned.  Pravoe Delo, or Right Cause, ousted him as party leader Thursday, three months after he took over and promised it would challenge the Kremlin.

In response, he personally attacked the Kremlin's top ideologue, Vladislav Yuryevich Surkov, saying he stifled political debate in the country and pushed him out. "This is a puppeteer who has long ago privatised the political system, puts pressure on media and misinforms the country's leadership," Prokhorov said of Surkov, a top aide to Prime Minister Vladimir Putin and the architect of his "managed democracy".

Prokhorov suggested he might form a new party, although he said he would not put up candidates for Parliament in December.  He may, however, run for President next March.  He did say he would meet soon with Putin and President Dmitry Medvedev.

• Russia Tycoon Prokhorov Quits Party After Kremlin ‘Takeover’ - Henry Meyer and Lyubov Pronina - Bloomberg
• Russian tycoon Prokhorov abandons leadership of Kremlin-backed party, claiming interference - Peter Leonard and Nataliya Vasilyeva - AP
  
• Amid Political Rancor, Russian Party Leader, Mikhail Prokhorov, Quits - Andrew Kramer & Ellen Barry - New York Times
• Oligarch attacks Kremlin after party firing - Charles Clover & Catherine Belton - Financial Times
• Russian Tycoon Abandons Bid to Lead Party - Gregory T. White - Wall Street Journal
• Russia's Prokhorov quits poll, attacking Kremlin aide - BBC
  
• Russian billionaire accuses Kremlin of sabotaging political career - London Telegraph
• Tycoon Prokhorov goes to war against Kremlin ideologue - Agence France Presse
  
• Prokhorov says new group not to run in elections - RIA Novosti
• Party over - Prokhorov wants allies to abandon Right Cause - Russia Today
• Prokhorov Quits Right Cause Party - Nikolaus von Twickel & Natalya Krainova - Moscow Times
  
• Russian Tycoon Abandons Party - Radio Free Europe
• Russian Billionaire Resigns as Head of Pro-Business Political Party - Voice of America