Medvedev joins United Russia Party

Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev has become a member of the United Russia Party, RIA Novosti reports.

Lidia Aleshina, secretary of the first office Kompas at the Ramenki District of the Western Administrative District of Moscow, handed the party membership card to Medvedev on Tuesday. Membership is granted after at least 6 months of supporting the party. Sergey Neverov, secretary of the presidium of the general council of United Russia, said that Medvedev has always been supporting the party and was heading its list at the parliamentary polls in December 2011.

President Vladimir Putin was chairing the party in 2008-2012, but has not joined it. The party failed to gain the constitutional majority at the elections in December 2012.

The party will have an assembly in Manezh on May 26. About 2,000 people are expected to arrive. Elections of the new chairman will be the main topic for discussion.