During the party congress of Baitak, political council member Askar Imangaliyev publicly criticised the draft election programme and proposed putting the question of re-electing the party chairman Azamatkhan Amirtayev to a vote. The incident occurred during a discussion of the congress agenda.
WHAT HAPPENED AT THE CONGRESS
According to BES.media, during a discussion of the congress agenda, Askar Imangaliyev went up to the stage without being given the floor and tried to speak. He stated that he disagreed with the draft election programme because, in his opinion, the document barely reflected the environmental agenda.
"A party of ecology... is writing an election platform where there are practically no words about ecology. It probably accounts for just 3%," Imangaliyev said.
He also noted that, in his assessment, the programme turned out to be generic and could be used for any political party, merely by changing the name.
HOW THE ORGANISERS RESPONDED
During the speech, representatives of the presidium repeatedly reminded him of the congress rules and offered to give him the floor later. Askar Imangaliyev himself insisted that the party positions itself as democratic, and therefore should provide an opportunity for people to speak.
During the discussion, some delegates called for continuing the congress's work and moving to a vote on the approved agenda.
After criticising the draft election programme, Askar Imangaliyev proposed putting the question of re-electing the party chairman Azamatkhan Amirtayev to a vote.
CONTEXT
This is not the first public conflict within the Baitak party. On 21 July 2023, some party representatives held an extraordinary 3rd Congress without the participation of Azamatkhan Amirtayev. Participants in that congress declared the termination of his powers, elected Aizhan Skakova as chairperson, proposed moving to a collective management model, and renaming the party to the Kazakhstan Green Party.
The following day, 22 July 2023, Azamatkhan Amirtayev held another extraordinary 3rd Congress, at which the composition of the political council and the auditing commission was renewed. He then stated that there was no split in the party and that renaming was not being considered. As a result, Azamatkhan Amirtayev retained his position as party leader.
