Azerbaijan, Baku, 3 March / Trend corr. S.Ilhamgizi / The Democratic Party of Azerbaijan (DPA) considers that the Authorities will win the upcoming presidential elections if the opposition does not unite and participate in the elections.
"If the opposition is not united the candidate from the government will win," Gurban Mammadov, a member of the DPA Council stated to Trend .
The presidential elections will be held in Azerbaijan on 15 October 2008.
The ruling Yeni Azerbaijan Party (YAP) nominated the candidature of the current President Ilham Aliyev. Musavat, DPA, Great Establishment, Open Society and Umid parties from the opposition will participate in the approaching elections with their own candidates.
The official believes that if the opposition has one candidate he could collect an equal number of votes as Aliyev.
"The opportunities of the Authorities and the opposition during the presidential elections are equal. As there are objective reasons for victory and trust of the population. If the opposition will take part in the elections with different candidates then 50% of the votes will be divided among them," Mammadov said.
Mammadov added that work implemented by Aliyev over the last few years, like creating new jobs, increase of salaries, successful policy within the country and worldwide, as well as the implementation of successful projects would provide Aliyev with success during the forthcoming presidential elections.
The opposition should unite around one candidate to the presidential post from the DPA Sardar Jalaloglu.
The DPA was founded by Jalaloglu in 1991. The party took a radical position against the Government until 2007. In January 2007, the party took a new political course and improved relations with the authorities. Protesting against such an action Rasul Guliyev, the ex-chairman, and his supporters left the party and founded the Open Society party.