Azerbaijan, Baku, 11 August / Trend , corr. E.Babayev/ Rauf Arifoglu, the editor-in-chief of Yeni Musavat newspaper and a member of the Azerbaijani opposition Musavat Party, intends to leave the party.
"Isa Gambar will leave the leadership of the party in 2010 and the party's Charter rules out his next chairmanship. It is impossible for me to stay in the party which will be led by another person," Arifoglu said to Trend on 11 August.
Arifoglu was dissatisfied with Musavat's decision not to participate in the presidential elections. Although earlier Arifoglu intended to nominate himself for the elections, he made a final statement last week on his refusal to run for presidency.
According to Arifoglu, taking into consideration Gambar's leaving the leadership he began to make preparations for this period. "I should prepare and am preparing for this prospective together with my supporters. I state it openly and will not change my decision. When Gambar leaves the leadership, not only I will leave the party," Arifoglu said and refused to answer other questions on this issue.
The Musavat Party was established in Baku in October 1911. The Musavat Party's third Congress was held at the Republican Palace in Baku on 7 November in 1992. Gambar was elected the chairman of the Musavat Party as a result of secret voting.
Isa Gambar, the chairman of the party, was the speaker of the Azerbaijani Parliament (1992-93) and a presidential candidate in the presidential elections held 2003. A total of four MPs represent the party at the parliament.
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