Russia`s election authorities barred Kremlin opponent Mikhail Kasyanov on Sunday from taking part in a March election to find a successor to President Vladimir Putin.

The Election Commission voted unanimously to refuse to register Kasyanov because of technical errors, including forgery, which it said were found in the signatures needed to register him as a candidate for the March 2 vote.

Disqualifying Kasyanov removes an outspoken Kremlin foe from a contest that the opposition says is already slanted in favor of Dmitry Medvedev, the man Putin has backed to succeed him.

Kasyanov, who served as Putin`s first prime minister, had little chance of winning, with polls showing he had less than 1 percent support.

Kasyanov has accused the Kremlin of trying to sabotage his campaign, a claim denied by officials.
sections: Politics