Chechen leader vows 100 pct support for Medvedev

GROZNY, Russia (Reuters) - The pro-Kremlin leader of the Russian republic of Chechnya promised in advance that his war-torn region would return 100 percent support for Vladimir Putin's chosen successor in Sunday's presidential election.

The Kremlin's candidate, 42-year-old Dmitry Medvedev, is almost certain to triumph in the poll, which has been criticized by the opposition for a lack of real competition.

Total support was less likely elsewhere in the restive North Caucasus region, where some people said they were voting for opposition candidates despite instructions from local officials to back Medvedev.

Two men were injured in an explosion in the neighboring republic of Dagestan, although police said it took place away from polling booths and was not linked to the vote.

Chechen President Ramzan Kadyrov, a Kremlin-backed former rebel chief, made -- and kept -- a similar promise of total support for the ruling party before nationwide parliamentary elections in December.

"I believe there will be a 100 percent turnout today. My family and all the people of the Chechen republic will vote for him," Kadyrov told Reuters after casting his vote for Medvedev.

Official results from December's parliamentary election showed that Chechnya, which fought two wars with Russia, returned a 99.5 percent turnout and 99.3 percent support for Putin's party -- the highest vote for Putin anywhere in Russia.

Local people and opposition groups questioned the figures at the time, saying that many residents had not voted at all. The government denied this.

Russia sent troops to Chechnya in 1994 and again in 1999 to put down separatist rebellions. In the last few years, Moscow has poured millions of dollars into rebuilding the province.

A 65-year-old pensioner, who declined to be named, said he would vote for Medvedev: "He is a friend of our President Kadyrov, which means there's no other candidate for us".

Another pensioner, who gave his name only as Magomed, said he would also vote for Medvedev, despite favoring the policies of firebrand nationalist candidate Vladimir Zhirinovksy.

"I would have voted for Zhirinovsky, because he's the only one who speaks the truth. But since they asked us to vote for Medvedev, that means we must vote for him," he said.

Violence from Chechnya has spilled over into neighboring regions of the North Caucasus. The Dagestan blast occurred in the town of Khasavyurt, west of regional capital Makhachkala.

Several residents of Ingushetia, a region of 450,000 people bordering Chechnya, said they would not vote for Medvedev.

"These elections are false, because everything has already been decided," said Islam Mogushkov, a 35-year-old ex-policeman in the Ingush city of Nazran.

Aza Timurziyeva, a local journalist in Nazran, said she would vote for the Communist party.