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Governors Confirmed in Tver, Sakhalin

Tver lawmakers on Thursday confirmed a new governor to replace the unpopular Dmitry Zelenin, who last fall complained about finding a worm in his salad during a Kremlin meal.

In Sakhalin, lawmakers reconfirmed their governor to a second term, Interfax reported.

Both candidates, Andrei Shevelyov in Tver and Alexander Khoroshavin in Sakhalin, were appointed by President Dmitry Medvedev late last month.

Zelenin, 48, a former Norilsk Nickel CEO and a member of United Russia, had governed his native Tver region since 2003. But public discontent grew with his policies, allowing the Communists to gain a majority in the Tver city legislature in 2009. He irked the Kremlin when he posted a photo of the worm on his Twitter feed in November.

Shevelyov, 41, a former paratrooper who fought in Chechnya, served as Zelenin's deputy before his promotion, Interfax said.

He also previously served as a deputy Ryazan governor and a State Duma deputy with United Russia.

Khoroshavin, 51, who holds a degree in economics and is a senior United Russia member, has served as governor since 2007, RIA-Novosti said.

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