Russian ex-PM splits from opposition coalition

MOSCOW, July 3 (Reuters) Former Russian prime minister Mikhail Kasyanov has split from an opposition coalition, an aide said today, leaving Kremlin opponents in disarray nine months before a presidential election.

Even before Kasyanov quit, the Other Russia coalition was struggling to make any impact on Russian voters as it battled with official restrictions on its rallies and public opinion that overwhelmingly backs President Vladimir Putin.

Kasyanov is planning to run for the presidency in the 2008 election. The split means Other Russia, whose leaders include chess champion and Putin critic Garry Kasparov, is highly unlikely to back his candidacy.

''He will not be there when this other Other Russia meets (for a conference) this weekend,'' a spokeswoman for Kasyanov said.

The split arose because Kasyanov wanted the coalition to move quickly to choose a single candidate for the presidential vote, but Kasparov and others said they needed more time.

''There have been serious differences on a number of Key, fundamental issues. We very much hoped we would be able to resolve these ... but fate has decided these hopes are not to come true,'' Kasparov said in a statement.

Other Russia is made up of a wide spectrum of groups who have been excluded from mainstream Russian politics, either because they have been banned or have fallen foul of tough new restrictions on the registration of parties.

Putin, limited by the constitution to two consecutive terms, says he will step down at the next election.

The coalition says the Kremlin plans to manipulate the election to hand victory to a favoured successor, an accusation Putin has denied.

Other Russia says its aim is to use street protests and grass roots campaigning to defend democratic freedoms and force the Kremlin to hold a fair vote.

Opinion polls show that the majority of Russian voters support Putin and are prepared to back whichever candidate he recommends to succeed him.

Reuters PD GC2049