Elections 2016:16 majoritarian candidates quit Paata Burchuladze-State for People bloc

A political coalition competing in next week’s Parliamentary Elections in Georgia will have no majoritarian candidates in 16 election districts after one of the parties in the bloc quit the alliance.

Today it was revealed Paata Burchuladze-State for People election bloc will have no majoritarian candidates in 16 election districts after the Girchi party left the alliance late on September 27. 

One of the Girchi party leaders Zurab Japaridze today said all the majoritarian candidates earlier named in the Paata Burchuladze-State for People party list represented the Girchi political party.

Japaridze said he was encouraged to remain in the coalition and be in the block’s list "if he brought money” to the alliance, but he refused the deal.

Paata Burchuladze-State for People political bloc, initiated by Georgia’s famous opera singer Paata Burchuladze, was established ahead of the October 8 Parliamentary Elections and  initially united four parties: 

• State for People – established by Burchuladze
• Girchi – a political party created by ex-members of United National Movement (UNM) 
• New Georgia – a party founded by ex-UNM member Giorgi Vashadze 
• New Rights – a non-Parliamentary opposition. 

Two days ago Girchi said Burchuladze blackmailed him and demanded money from the Girchi party for his "personal use.” 

Burchuladze responded and said he "dismissed” Girchi from the coalition when he found out the party was financed by Georgia’s ex-Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili. 

Over the past two days there were speculations New Georgia might also quit the coalition but party leader Giorgi Vashadze last night announced New Georgia would remain in the bloc.