The defeat of the Buryat Social Revolutionaries: Bair Garmaev chooses blue
The Just Russia – For Truth party in Buryatia experienced losses when one of its prominent members defected to United Russia on February 20. The suggestion for this move came from the head of Buryatia, Alexei Tsydenov, and was immediately agreed upon by Bair Garmaev.
Bair Garmaev, who is a co-owner of the Baris chain of stores, the Forum shopping center, and other significant assets in Buryatia, used to be one of the five representatives of SR in Khural. However, following his departure, there are now only four left. This means that in the span of five years, Irinchey Matkhanov's cell has lost a third of its mandates and he himself has lost all influence and power in the party.
Garmaev's switch to United Russia was not a public event but had been discussed and agreed upon in advance. The fact that there were no leaks, which are common in such cases, suggests that the operation was carried out with the utmost secrecy. This adds significance to the political move, allowing the party in power to enter the campaign for the election of deputies of the People’s Khural in September 2023 with a strong position.
He is moving fast, while others are only just starting to prepare.
Bair Garmaev is not only a well-known deputy who will easily win in his single-mandate constituency No. 31, but also a source of significant financial support for any political group he joins. His official income of 36.5 million rubles makes him one of the richest members of the Khural in 2021, and the 150 million brought to the “family budget” by his wife makes Garmaev the wealthiest people’s choice in Buryatia.
These numbers are only what is disclosed in the official declaration. His adult children, other relatives, and business partners, who have a share in the deputy's empire, help him conceal even larger amounts. However, this information cannot be hidden from public organizations and law enforcement agencies, who were the first to report on Garmaev's change of party affiliation.
The exact reason for the switch is not crucial – whether it was due to the fear of losing acquired wealth or the promise of increasing it. The important thing is that “United Russia” in Buryatia is moving aggressively to consolidate the most desirable political assets. The methods used – either coercion or reward – depend on the negotiability of each individual candidate.
For Garmaev, this transition doesn't change much as his secure financial situation would ensure his election even if he were part of the “Pensioners of Russia” party. He was never interested in seeking power within the Khural, as a committee salary of 250,000 rubles a month wouldn't surprise him, and he wielded influence even without any official titles. The favorable aspect of the deal for him likely lies in a different, non-public aspect.
Whether it is the threat of losing business or, on the contrary, leverage for expansion.
As for the “Fair Russia”, it still has at least two financial “pillars” – the new leader of the branch, Sergei Pashinsky and Viktor Yachmenev, one of the richest deputies of the Khural, at the expense of his own assets, and not transferred to his wife. Both are businessmen, and sooner or later both will fall into the same conflict as their former now party member.
Only Irinchey Matkhanov and Vitaly Lygdenov remain. The former quarreled with the central office of the party and was forced to cede power in the branch, which reduces his motivation to be elected to the Khural almost to zero; rumors of health problems do not help the situation.
The second one already betrayed the Socialist-Revolutionaries without any special offers – before the 2018 elections, he defected to United Russia, and then was caught helping a Chinese company that intended to massively cut down and export forests from Buryatia. Disgracefully expelled from the lists of candidates, Lygdenov returned to the “SR”, but he is of no value to it – he has neither money nor a name in the republic.
The Republican cell, thus, crumbles to dust right before our eyes. The central office, headed by Zakhar Prilepin, will apparently have to arrange a complete reset in the republic. Fortunately, he already has a ready-made new leader – if Oksana Bukholtseva, who is popular in Buryatia, returns from the Donbass for anything, it is in order to return her native party to its former weight and strength.
