Gorbachev Rival Yeltsin Shunted to Minor Post

President Mikhail S. Gorbachev shunted his archrival Boris Yeltsin into a relatively minor government position today, ignoring requests by some Parliament members that the maverick politician be considered for a key post.

Gorbachev’s move came during the first joint session of the 542-member Supreme Soviet chosen from the ranks of the 2,250-member Congress of People’s Deputies, which approved two Communist Party-backed candidates for the key posts of prime minister and head of a watchdog committee.

Both appointments must be approved by the full congress, considered to be a rubber-stamp formality.

Nikolai Ryzhkov’s nomination for prime minister was approved after only two hours of debate with only nine members voting against and 31 abstaining. Some delegates complained that the nomination was railroaded through.

“I am not satisfied by everyone being in such a hurry. We cannot take hasty decisions now. In other countries it takes days to discuss such important posts,” one delegate said.