Temrezov's rivals in the elections are named formal candidates.
Aleksandr Chayka and Krym Shkhakhov are not real competitors to the current head of Karachay-Cherkessia, Rashid Temrezov, believe journalists and political scientists interviewed by "Caucasian Knot." The absence of alternative power centers and the resolution of claims against Senator Akhmat Salpagarov allow the current power configuration in the republic to be maintained, they noted.
As reported by "Caucasian Knot", Russian President Vladimir Putin presented to the parliament of Karachay-Cherkessia three candidates for the post of head of the republic. In addition to the current head Rashid Temrezov, nominated by "United Russia," deputies Alexander Chayka from the LDPR and Krym Shkhakhov from the "Fair Russia" party are also contenders for the position. The head of the republic will be elected by the parliament deputies on September 20.
Aleksandr Chayka and Krym Shkhakhov are not real competitors to Rashid Temrezov for the post of head of Karachay-Cherkessia, believes journalist Ilyas Bogatyrev.
"Their candidacies are likely to be purely technical. It is unlikely that Temrezov will be changed now. He is normal and convenient for the supreme power, he tries, does something, that is, he is quite in his place, and I think he will serve another term," he said to the correspondent of "Caucasian Knot."
Among the socio-economic problems of Karachay-Cherkessia, only the difficulties with gas supply to remote auls can be highlighted, noted Bogatyrev.
"In neighboring Kabardino-Balkaria, gas pipelines have long been laid to the most inaccessible villages. And in Karachay-Cherkessia, they promise year after year, but have not done it, and this issue seems fundamentally important to me," Bogatyrev pointed out.
He also drew attention to the closed nature of the Temrezov clan.
"Hence the closed nature of the power structure, the impossibility of simply getting into leadership positions thanks to one's talents. Since 2011, there has been an unchangeability of the leader, and attempts have been made to fight it periodically by pulling forces against him. But he managed to withstand, and now, it seems to me, there have been no attempts in recent years and there will not be in the near future," the journalist explained.
He pointed out once again the absence of real competitors for Temrezov.
"But I can say for sure that no candidacy, no matter how strong a politician he is, will go against the head of the republic now – they simply won't let him," Bogatyrev concluded.
The absence of alternative power centers in Karachay-Cherkessia suits the presidential administration, believes another Caucasian journalist, who also called Chayka and Shkhakhov "technical rivals" of Temrezov.
"As for Chayka and Shkhakhov – everything is clear here, of course. They are purely statistics, I had never heard such names before, they are clearly not bright personalities on the political horizon of Karachay-Cherkessia. In fact, there are no bright stars left under Temrezov. This, by the way, is one of the factors that I think the presidential administration is satisfied with: there are no alternative power centers in Karachay-Cherkessia, Temrezov has gotten rid of almost all competitors. Although it is still far from Adygea or Chechnya, where the political field is completely cleared. But it is not Dagestan, where there are many clans and the head is criticized," the journalist said to the correspondent of "Caucasian Knot" on condition of anonymity.
Under Temrezov, the information field in Karachay-Cherkessia has been cleaned up, however, the development of the tourism sector has brought federal players like Alexander Tkachev to the republic, for whom Temrezov is just someone who gets in the way, believes the journalist.
In March 2023, the resort "Arkhyz" was transferred to the management of the Krasnodar company "Mountain Peaks." Earlier, sources linked this company with the former governor of Krasnodar Krai and ex-Minister of Agriculture of Russia Alexander Tkachev.
"Unfortunately, the truth is that this development of tourism in Karachay-Cherkessia, which has really become competitive at the national level, has not reflected on the living standards of the population at all. The outrageous cost of real estate in Romantika and Arkhyz, which is being bought up by Muscovites or Tyumenians, contrasts even more sharply with the poverty of local taxi drivers, guides, baristas, and waiters working there," the journalist explained.
In May, a court in Moscow terminated the proceedings on the lawsuit of the Prosecutor General's Office regarding the transfer to the state of the property of Senator from Karachay-Cherkessia Akhmat Salpagarov and 27 other people due to the conclusion of a settlement agreement. In July, Sergey Boyko linked the conclusion of the agreement with the preservation of the positions of the Temrezov-Salpagarov clan.
All candidates participating in the elections in Karachay-Cherkessia are technical, noted political scientist Sergey Boyko.
"In fact, the fate of the elections was predetermined after the settlement agreement between law enforcement agencies and Salpagarov. The Temrezov clan is closely linked with the Salpagarov clan. They are often combined into a single whole. Therefore, after the resolution of claims from federal authorities, there are no obstacles left for prolonging the current power configuration in Karachay-Cherkessia," he said to the correspondent of "Caucasian Knot."
"Caucasian Knot" also reported that in 2021, Temrezov's rivals in the elections for the head of Karachay-Cherkessia were Oleg Zhedyaev and Renat Akbaev. Akbaev expressed confidence that he would win in direct elections, while Zhedyaev saw no chances for victory. The parliament of the republic unanimously re-elected Temrezov. In 2016, deputies also unanimously re-elected him as head of Karachay-Cherkessia.