Penza, 21 June 2015. PenzaNews. The State Duma deputy of the Sarator region in the LDPR faction Anton Ischenko explained why the media sources had announced that the Supreme Council of the party confirmed him as the candidate for the gubernatorial election in the Penza region at first, but then the party representatives decided to promote the head of their faction in the local City Duma Zhigansha Tuktarov instead.

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“An absolutely correct piece of information, because there were two decisions of the Supreme Council. The first decision was made several months ago, when the news in question were announced. And the second decision was on Thursday [June 18] this weak, when they suggested to promote Tuktarov as the man to be discussed at the conference today,” Anton Ischenko commented for PenzaNews agency shortly before the pre-election candidate promotion conference of the Liberal Democratic Party in Penza on Sunday, June 21.

He stressed that his task as the party curator is to support the candidate who will be able to represent the party at the best possible level.

“We do not seek the people who either end up here at random or perhaps fail to be recognized by the Penza region citizens well enough. We must understand that here we see the party members whom the voters will cast their votes for. Another important issue is the municipal filter. In my personal opinion – I spoke it out to the leader of the party’s Supreme Council – Tuktarov has more chances to pass through the municipal filter. This is why we changed the candidate,” the party representative said.

In his opinion, the federal deputies and the local party members must work together to achieve good results.

“Tuktarov gained 66% in his area during the city elections. These figures obviously attract respect. That is why, after calculations, we decided to support mister Tuktarov at the Supreme Council,” the State Duma deputy clarified.

Anton Ischenko also confirmed in an interview to PenzaNews agency that “everybody stays on their places” – he will continue to coordinate the Penza and Saratov regions, while Mikhail Usov will work over the Penza region LDPR branch.

“I don’t understand the origins behind this months-long scandal over our primaries, over our conference. In reality, there was nothing out of ordinary about it at all. This is regular routine of a political party,” the speaker said.

Anton Ischenko also added that he will be directly involved in the election campaign of Zhigansha Tuktarov as a whole.

“I am ready to meet people, and I will be doing so. Together with Zhigansha Zeiyantullovich [Tuktarov], we will plan the routes and right through at least a better part of the Penza region, because we seek to reach for the farthest outskirts. We seek to talk to citizens and see their issues to include them in the basis of our candidate’s gubernatorial election program. And, of course, we will try to resolve these issues with the authority and the possibilities that we command,” the State Duma deputy ensured.