With the scent of power in its nostrils Russia's Communist Party has issued a manifesto promising the people their pensions and salaries. But Moscow's Mayor, Mr Yuri Luzhkov, said last night he was convinced Mr Yeltsin would nominate Mr Viktor Chernomyrdin as prime minister for the third time.
The Communist leader, Mr Gennady Zyuganov, also moved to use a loophole in the constitution to prevent President Yeltsin dissolving the Duma, even if it rejects the candidature of Mr Chernomyrdin for a third time.
In a statement yesterday Mr Zyuganov said he would propose that the Duma would start impeachment proceedings against Mr Yeltsin before any vote on Mr Chernomyrdin was taken. Mr Zyuganov appeared confident he would have the support of 300 deputies to do this.
Should this move succeed Mr Yeltsin would lose his power to dissolve parliament, as the constitution states that a president cannot get rid of the Duma while it is discussing his impeachment.
Mr Yeltsin held meetings with a number of political leaders yesterday, including Mr Chernomyrdin and the Foreign Minister, Mr Yevgeny Primakov. While Mr Primakov has declared that he does not want to be prime minister, it is understood that he could be persuaded to change his mind.
In the meantime, the rouble showed a surprising comeback. The fixed official rate to the dollar was 15 but at an exchange bureau close to where I stay the rate fell from Tuesday's 22 to the dollar to 18 last evening.
Deputies yesterday looked after themselves by voting to ensure that they would continue be paid for a year after any dissolution of the Duma.
In launching its manifesto the Communist Party announced its readiness to "take responsibility for bringing Russia out of the crisis and forming a government of popular trust".
The statement said a Communist government would "secure the right to work, dignified salaries and the safety of what people have earned and save". It would support "all kinds of ownership and economic management", if these were aimed at real production. There would be "easier credits for producers, a smaller tax burden, direct state investments and protection from unfair competition by foreign producers".
The party also promised to renationalise strategic industries and to impose a state monopoly on exports of strategic raw materials and on imports of alcohol and tobacco. Rights to import alcohol and tobacco have been given to a number of institutions in the past, including the Russian Sports Committee, leading to a welter of intrigue and corruption among members of Mr Yeltsin's entourage.
Mr Yeltsin's meeting with Mr Chernomyrdin and Mr Primakov fuelled speculation that the proposal of liberal political leader Mr Grigory Yavlinsky that Mr Primakov should become prime minister and Mr Chernomyrdin first deputy premier, was being considered.
This was firmly put down by Moscow's Mayor, Mr Yuri Luzhkov who, after a meeting with the acting prime minister, told reporters that Mr Yeltsin was going to renominate Mr Chernomyrdin.
Regarded as a possible prime minister, Mr Luzhkov is an extremely popular and an extremely populist mayor, elected in July 1996 with 90 per cent of the vote. He has given the capital a major facelift but his record on human rights includes a series of efforts to expel non-Russians from the city, is less impressive.
He has Great-Russian chauvinist tendencies and has on a number of occasions called for Ukraine to give the Crimea to Russia. Should he accept the premiership he could, however, damage his chances of becoming president in 2000.
Mr Primakov (68) is admired by many Russians for standing up to the West on foreign relations issues, especially on NATO enlargement and could expect Communist support. He is a former head of the KGB and a member of the politburo in Soviet Union days.
