DUSHANBE, October 31, 2013 Asia-Plus /Avaz Yuldoshev/ -- The Communist Party (CPT) presidential candidate, Ismoil Talbakov, has promised that if he is elected president he will appoint Emomali Rahmon honorary head of the Public Council.

“Taking into account experience and services of the incumbent president I will appoint him honorary head of the Public Council if I am elected president,” Talbakov told Asia-Plus in an interview.

“I will not allow addressing me as Your Excellency (Janobi Oli) and will adhere to the Communist principles in social intercourse,” the Communist presidential candidate noted.

According to him, many just cringe before the incumbent president addressing him as Your Excellency.  “Such a form of address creates barrier between president and people,” Talbakov stressed.

Today, the CPT candidate and other presidential candidates, except the incumbent President Emomali Rahmon, are holding meetings with voters in the Darvoz and Vanj districts of the Gorno Badakhshan Autonomous Region (GBAO).  On October 30, they held meetings with voters in the Rasht Valley (eastern Tajikistan).

Six candidates have officially registered for the 2013 presidential election that will take place on November 6.  In addition to the incumbent President Emomali Rahmon, they are Tolibbek Bukhoriyev from the Agrarian Party; Olim Boboyev from the Party of Economic Reforms; Ismoil Talbakov from the Communist Party; Abduhalim Ghafforov from the Socialist Party; and Saidjaffar Ismonov from the Democratic Party.