Moscow - While the Russian Communist leader, Mr Gennady Zyuganov, vowed to pursue his demand for a vote of no confidence in the Russian government next week, sources in the pro-Kremlin Unity party are growing in confidence that the vote will not now take place, Seamus Martin reports.
Mr Zyuganov announced his decision to continue in his demands for a motion of no confidence in the Duma despite an attempt by President Putin to get him to change his mind. Mr Putin was due to have further meetings with Mr Gennady Seleznyov, the house speaker, and Mr Boris Gryzlov, the leader of the Unity Party in the lower house, in an attempt to stop the vote from taking place.
The Communists on their own would have no chance of getting the motion through but a surprise move by Unity which announced that it would support the Communist motion put the government on very shaky ground. The Unity position has shifted since then and the party spokesman, Mr Sergei Oleinik, told The Irish Times: "It is my view that the vote of no confidence will not now take place."