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| - The political party founded by Georgia's exiled former president Mikheil Saakashvili said Monday that it will nominate him for prime minister if it wins October parliamentary polls. Saakashvili, 52, is preparing to make a political comeback in Georgia following a seven-year absence, after announcing his plan to return earlier this month. His party, the United National Movement, along with its allies, "will nominate Mikheil Saakashvili for the post of prime minister" if it wins the October 31 election, one of the party's leaders, Grigol Vashadze, said in a statement. The United National Movement party, the most important opposition force in Georgia, has forged a coalition with several smaller parties that will challenge the ruling Georgian Dream party led by billionaire oligarch Bidzina Ivanishvili in the polls. Saakashvili was appointed to head a Ukraine government task force on political and economic reforms in May. The staunchly pro-Western politician, who led the Caucasus nation from 2004-13, has not revealed when he plans to return to his home country, which he was forced to flee fearing imminent arrest at the end of his second term. Georgia's Justice Minister Tea Tsulukiani said Saakashvili will be arrested at the country's border upon his return. But if the ruling party loses the elections, it is likely the charges against him of abuse of office -- which he denies and says are politically motivated -- would be dropped. Western capitals have accused the Georgian Dream-led government of conducting a political witch-hunt and Interpol turned down requests from Tbilisi to issue a red notice against Saakashvili. im/am/gd
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