At home among strangers: the political loneliness of Evgeny Sarsenbaev

The first and last – this is what the current convocation of the regional parliament threatens to become for the deputy of the Legislative Assembly Yevgeny Sarsenbaev. Because it was necessary for Yevgeny Seitovich to know whom to be friends against for the last five years. He chose to shoot to kill everyone around him. And without noticing it, he shot himself in the foot, depriving him of his last chance for re-election.

Now it is important that the shops that have recently ceased to blaze with a vivid reminder of the criminal past of the fidgety businessman, proudly bearing his own name, do not burn out completely – otherwise the last rear will lose.

For the first time in the struggle for the proud title of deputy of the Legislative Assembly of the region, Evgeny Sarsenbaev competed in 2013 under the banner of the “Civil Platform” that had sunk into oblivion. Unsuccessfully. And already in 2018, albeit on the second attempt, he got into the deputy chair with an impressive advantage over his opponents. No wonder, because this time it was under the warm wing of the then still powerful communist community in the region.

True, having “befriended” to the full during the period of the election race with the red camp of the Irkutsk political “party”, he almost immediately renounced it. Yevgeny Seytovich left the faction of his “native” party without having time to get a deputy mandate. And he remained in splendid isolation and with a slightly tarnished crimson haze reputation.

The fact that a communist from Sarsenbayev as a fifth-class welder is a ballerina is clear at one glance at the imposing businessman and his numerous photos on social networks. And even at the opening of his declaration, which from year to year strikes the minds with an abundance of zeros in the amounts of income, the last doubts disappear.

But despite his absolute political loneliness, Sarsenbaev, it is worth giving him his due, against the backdrop of team party players, he did not get lost. On the contrary, it blossomed like a scarlet flower from a fairy tale of the same name. But the people of Angara, who once elected Yevgeny Seytovich, should not indulge in false illusions about a revolutionary fighter who defends their interests in spite of all those who disagree.

The role of Yevgeny Sarsenbaev throughout the zenith of his political career was limited to the ability to loudly declare his disagreement in time. Or offer something that is a pity to send others to – what if the topic becomes a firing squad?

So, it was Yevgeny Seytovich who initiated the amendments in 2020, according to which self-nominated candidates returned to the race for the governor’s chair. Well, or rather, to say “self-nominated”, one specific, under which all the amendments were prepared. And he has been sitting comfortably in the governor’s chair for three years.

But the time of riots has passed, in the political realities of the Irkutsk region, a clear course has been formed towards widespread “agreements”. Arguing is not in vogue now, and Sarsenbaev realized this too late. He has already quarreled with the majority of the deputies of the parliament and, importantly, inadvertently stepped on the heels of the mayor of his native Angarsk, Sergei Petrov.

Petrov Sergey, Angarsk, 2020.

And Petrov is a touchy person, to put it mildly. Strictly speaking, vindictive. And, of course, earthquake-resistant. Growing like a snowball with frank corruption connections, Petrov grows roots into the chair of the mayor of Angarsk. And it absorbs princely manners every day more and more.

Sarsenbaev is a bone in his throat for him. It scratches and gets on the nerves. Moreover, voters sincerely love him. It’s not clear why. Maybe just because he is slightly, but better than the terry bribe-taker Petrov?

Therefore, Petrov not to let Sarsenbayev into the Legislative Assembly this year is the second most important task. The first still does not sit down, but he still copes with it delicately. And he is ready to throw all available, albeit meager, resources against the current deputy. Because why nurture your own competitor?

Petrov is ready to fight. Is Sarsenbaev ready for battle? After all, strictly speaking, in the parliament of the next convocation, he is hardly waiting for more significant achievements and titles. And to be a “private”, according to Yevgeny Seitovich, he is no longer in status at all. He has already jumped from the stall holder to the deputies, now he wants to go higher. But no, it doesn’t work.

So the fish bogatyr stands at a crossroads: if you go there, you will lose your parliamentary pride, if you go here, you will have several million for a campaign, and even then it’s not a fact that it’s successful. At the back is a closet full of skeletons from a glorious commercial past. And ahead – emptiness.