ZYUGANOV UNVEILS PLATFORM, GATHERS SUPPORT.

Gennady Zyuganov unveiled his election platform March 17 — a bland document that promises to provide the population with social guarantees, end the war in Chechnya, and restore Russia’s industrial and military potential. Zyuganov said he was in favor of amending the constitution to make the president "accountable to society," pledged to guarantee human rights, and ruled out prosecution for political motives. "There will be no revenge," he said. Nationalist and radical Communists clearly felt the Duma vote spoke louder than words; Zyuganov won pledges of support on the weekend from several leaders who had earlier withheld their support: former vice president Aleksandr Rutskoi, the firebrand leader of the "Working Russia" movement Viktor Anpilov, and Stanislav Terekhov, leader of the Russian Officers’ Union. (NTV, Interfax, March 17)

Latest Poll: Zyuganov Maintain Lead, Zhirinovsky Loses Ground.