Putin may offer posts for opponents if elected

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said Wednesday that he could offer government posts to his political opponents if he won the presidential election.

"I have said that I invited the people who look after business at the parties which consider themselves opposition. They worked and keep working effectively, so I see nothing impossible in it," Putin said during a meeting with students and observers.

He mentioned, in particular, the non-parliamentary Right Cause and Yabloko parties.

Grigory Tomchin, a member of Right Cause's federal council, responded that cooperation with Putin was possible "on the terms and in the sectors we would agree," according to the Interfax news agency.

The Yabloko party also said it would cooperate with Putin, who has been widely expected to win the election due on March 4.

Putin also said he was prepared for a possible second round in the presidential race.

Putin faces Communist Party leader Gennady Zyuganov, Liberal Democratic Party chief Vladimir Zhirinovsky, A Just Russia party head Sergei Mironov and independent billionaire Mikhail Prokhorov in the election.