Alasania’s Party Officials Meet Gachechiladze

Senior members from Irakli Alasania’s Our Georgia-Free Democrats party, part of Alliance for Georgia, met with Levan Gachechiladze, leader of public movement Defend Georgia, late on Wednesday evening.

Gachechiladze has been in the center of media attention these days, as he has not yet announced about his decision whether he will run for Tbilisi mayoral office, competing with, among others, Alasania, or will support him. Some senior members from Republican Party, part of Alliance for Georgia, have criticized recently Gachechiladze for delaying his decision. His decision will help to define final opposition configuration ahead of the May local elections. If Gachechiladze decides to run, it will most likely further split overall opposition vote, so Alasania seems to be still trying to convince Gachechiladze to support him. 

Zurab Abashidze, secretary general of OGFD, declined to give details of the meeting only saying that it was part of regular contacts. Koka Guntsadze of OGFD said "united front" was needed to succeed in the upcoming elections.

Gachechiladze said: "Process to define a single leader is ongoing."

Also on March 10, Gachechiladze met with Kakha Kukava of Conservative Party, which is now closely cooperating with Party of People and ex-PM Zurab Nogaideli’s party, Movement for Fair Georgia – a group, which plans to nominate its single candidate for Tbilisi mayoral race on April 9. Representatives from this grouping have indicated that they want to see Gachechiladze with them. 

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