Wang Ye's words put Medvedev in a very difficult position.
Medvedev owed Wang Ye a huge favor, so if Wang Ye came to him for help with anything else, he would never refuse and would do everything he could to help him.
But this was about taking down Luzhkov...
In Medvedev's eyes, the difficulty of this matter was perhaps second only to taking on the man in the Kremlin!
He had no confidence in it at all, nor did he know where to begin in dealing with Luzhkov, so he did not dare agree outright.
Of course, Wang Ye understood his predicament. Smiling, he said:
"This matter is not actually as difficult as you think.
Listen to my analysis, and you'll understand.
First of all, why did I come to you to join forces on this instead of going to the Kremlin, Gryzlov, or even Shoigu and Korokoli?
Because although those people may hold greater real power, they do not have much professional overlap with Luzhkov.
That makes it difficult for them to find trouble with him.
But you are different!
You oversee government affairs, and a considerable part of your work involves communicating and coordinating with the various oblasts below.
You could be considered the immediate superior of all the governors, even though you cannot decide whether they stay or go.
So if you want to make a move against Luzhkov, it will be much more convenient for you than for the rest of us.
That is why I came to you today!"
After hearing this, Medvedev felt that it made quite a bit of sense. He did indeed deal with the various oblasts frequently in his usual work.
If he really wanted to put the squeeze on a certain oblast, it would be easy enough to find an