DUSHANBE, October 12, 2013, Asia-Plus – Ms. Oynnihol Bobonazarova, nominated by the Islamic Revival Party (IRP) to run in the 2013 presidential election, consider that she would have been the only serious contender to the incumbent President for 2013 presidential election.

She stated this at a press conference in Dushanbe on October 11.

She noted that that she had studied pre-election programs of other candidates and had come to conclusion that “they are of the same team.”

According to her, none of the five officially registered candidates poses a real threat to Emomali Rahmon in the vote.

“I just can say today that this complicated process has broken down stereotypes,” said Bobonazarova.

According to her, many people did not admit the thought that the Islamic Revival Party will nominate woman or there is real contender to Rahmon.

“It was the first step that has shown that three are more than 201,000 people who are ready for changes,” Ms. Bobonazarova noted.

She accused the authorities of blocking her campaign, saying the government appears to be afraid of any real challenger.

Ms. Bobonazarova, who would have been the first woman to run for president, has dropped out of the race.  Bobonazarova said she narrowly missed collecting the required number of signatures for the November 6 vote.

Meanwhile, the head of Bobonazarova’s pre-election campaign staff, Mahmadali Hayit said that more than 8,000 people had been involved in collected the required 210,000 signatures.

“In Gorno Badakhshan the work of the initiative groups yielded fewer results than in other regions.  To add to the signature collection problems, police officers and officers from the State Committee for National Security (SCNS) have carried out special events in Gorno Badakhshan to scare people.  Besides, there are a large number of military personnel in the region and they brought psychological pressure to bear upon the population and they did not put their signatures,” Hayit said.

The next meeting of the Tajik Association of Reformist Forces (TARF) will take place in Dushanbe on October 14.  The meeting is expected to analyze the process of collection of the required 210,000 signatures and determine further steps of the TARF.