Russian communists drop veteran, select surprise candidate to challenge PutinMOSCOW (Reuters) - The Russian Communist Party on Saturday unexpectedly dropped its veteran leader Gennady Zyuganov as its presidential candidate to challenge President Vladimir Putin next year, choosing instead a largely unknown businessman with links to the farm sector. Zyuganov, 73, an evergreen of the post-Soviet political scene, had been widely expected to contest his sixth consecutive presidential election next March. But instead the party picked Pavel Grudinin, 57, a mechanical engineer who has run a farm on the outskirts of Moscow since the mid-1990s, as its candidate to take on Putin in an election which the 65-year-old Kremlin leader is expected to win comfortably.    Zyuganov congratulated Grudinin on his nomination at an annual gathering of the party on Saturday, the Communist Party said on its website. By ditching one of the communist old guard as candidate and choosing someone from a new generation, the party appeared to be attempting to widen its political appeal. Its main support base has been from an age group that is fast disappearing. Speaking at the meeting where Grudinin was nominated, Zyuganov said voter apathy, which many independent analysts say is on the rise, was now  Russia s biggest misfortune .  The communists came second after the ruling party United Russia, which backs Putin, in parliamentary elections in 2016 - but winning only 19.2 percent of the vote. Separately on Saturday, United Russia pledged its full support for Putin in what is expected to be a one-sided presidential contest. worldnews
russian communists drop veteran select surprise candidate challenge putinmoscow reuters the russian communist party saturday unexpectedly dropped veteran leader kennedy zyuganov presidential candidate challenge president vladimir putin next year choosing instead largely unknown businessman links farm sector zyuganov evergreen political scene widely expected contest sixth consecutive presidential election next march but instead party picked panel grudinin mechanical engineer run farm outskirts moscow since candidate take putin election kremlin leader expected win comfortably zyuganov congratulated grudinin nomination annual gathering party saturday communist party said website by pitching one communist old guard candidate choosing someone new generation party appeared attempting widen political appeal its main support base age group fast disappearing speaking meeting grudinin nominated zyuganov said voter apathy many independent analysts say rise russia biggest misfortune the communists came second ruling party united russia backs putin parliamentary elections winning percent vote separately saturday united russia pledged full support putin expected presidential contest worldnews
Your task is to classify the provided input as real or fake news. Label 0 is meant for fake news, Label 1 is for real news. TEXT: Russian communists drop veteran, select surprise candidate to challenge PutinMOSCOW (Reuters) - The Russian Communist Party on Saturday unexpectedly dropped its veteran leader Gennady Zyuganov as its presidential candidate to challenge President Vladimir Putin next year, choosing instead a largely unknown businessman with links to the farm sector. Zyuganov, 73, an evergreen of the post-Soviet political scene, had been widely expected to contest his sixth consecutive presidential election next March. But instead the party picked Pavel Grudinin, 57, a mechanical engineer who has run a farm on the outskirts of Moscow since the mid-1990s, as its candidate to take on Putin in an election which the 65-year-old Kremlin leader is expected to win comfortably.    Zyuganov congratulated Grudinin on his nomination at an annual gathering of the party on Saturday, the Communist Party said on its website. By ditching one of the communist old guard as candidate and choosing someone from a new generation, the party appeared to be attempting to widen its political appeal. Its main support base has been from an age group that is fast disappearing. Speaking at the meeting where Grudinin was nominated, Zyuganov said voter apathy, which many independent analysts say is on the rise, was now  Russia s biggest misfortune .  The communists came second after the ruling party United Russia, which backs Putin, in parliamentary elections in 2016 - but winning only 19.2 percent of the vote. Separately on Saturday, United Russia pledged its full support for Putin in what is expected to be a one-sided presidential contest. worldnews
Your task is to classify the provided input as real or fake news. Label 0 is meant for fake news, Label 1 is for real news. TEXT: russian communists drop veteran select surprise candidate challenge putinmoscow reuters the russian communist party saturday unexpectedly dropped veteran leader kennedy zyuganov presidential candidate challenge president vladimir putin next year choosing instead largely unknown businessman links farm sector zyuganov evergreen political scene widely expected contest sixth consecutive presidential election next march but instead party picked panel grudinin mechanical engineer run farm outskirts moscow since candidate take putin election kremlin leader expected win comfortably zyuganov congratulated grudinin nomination annual gathering party saturday communist party said website by pitching one communist old guard candidate choosing someone new generation party appeared attempting widen political appeal its main support base age group fast disappearing speaking meeting grudinin nominated zyuganov said voter apathy many independent analysts say rise russia biggest misfortune the communists came second ruling party united russia backs putin parliamentary elections winning percent vote separately saturday united russia pledged full support putin expected presidential contest worldnews