ABSTRACT
Konstantin Chernenko, Nikolay Aleksandrovich Tikhonov, Dinmukhamed Kunayev, Vladimir V. Shcherbitskiy, and Viktor Grishin all retained their positions, providing a constant reminder of the limitations of Yuri Vladimirovich Andropov's power. Although Chernenko's sources of power were relatively clear, the centers of opposition or dissent were more complex. A split in Andropov's faction between the supporters of Gorbachev and Romanov seems implausible because in such a case Chernenko's victory would have been faster, easier, and, what is most important, complete. It seems much more likely that Solomentsev and Shcherbitskiy voted for Chernenko, thus producing the 6 to 6 stalemate that led to the wrangling and confusion during the period between the death of Andropov and the Central Committee plenum. On the instruction of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union (CPSU) Central Committee," Mikhail Gorbachev proposed the election of Chernenko to the chairmanship of the Presidium: This issue was examined at the plenary meeting of the CPSU Central Committee.
