Joint Statement

Gryzlov was right.

He and Wang Ye were respectively the leaders and helmsmen of the First Faction and Third Faction!

If someone poached their people and they showed no reaction at all, that would undoubtedly make them unqualified.

Gryzlov had called Wang Ye over today precisely to discuss how they should respond.

As for those who had already been poached, the die was cast and there was no getting them back.

But they could not just keep letting people get poached from among those who remained. That would be hard to justify.

There was still nearly a year until next year's election. Given such a long period, Khovchenko's side certainly would not sit idle.

They would continue expanding their strength and drawing more people into their faction.

Many Duma deputies from the First, Second, and Third Factions had not gone over yet because they were still in office and might be reluctant to resign voluntarily.

But once their terms were nearing their end, if the other side promised to fund their campaigns for another term as Duma deputies, quite a few of them might be tempted.

By then, a considerable number of deputies might "jump ship."

This was also what worried Gryzlov the most...

"Then do you have any ideas?" Wang Ye asked.

Gryzlov nodded and gave a forceful wave of his hand. "We must give those restless people a warning! I have no particular objection to Khovchenko. It is perfectly reasonable and legal for him to establish a new faction, take part in the election, and even recruit people into it. But those who bounce back and forth between factions to satisfy their own selfish desires are detestable!"

Perhaps he truly had no objection to Khovchenko, or perhaps he simply found it inappropriate to speak ill of Khovchenko in