Gaidar, a leader of the youth movement Da! (Yes!), said the decision was made based on a public opinion poll that showed Viktor Shenderovich, who had come into the spotlight in the mid-'90s as the scriptwriter and presenter of satirical television shows harshly critical of the Kremlin, was currently more popular with voters than herself.
"Our poll showed that among those willing to vote for Democrats, 39.9% back Shenderovich and 29%, myself," she said.
Shenderovich, who applauded Gaidar's decision as indicating she puts "democratic ideals and values above personal ambitions," will contest the by-election to the State Duma, parliament's lower house, in a traditionally democratic-voting constituency in southwestern Moscow.
Jailed Russian tycoon Mikhail Khodorkovsky, nominated to represent the constituency in September, had to withdraw after losing his appeal against convictions for fraud and tax evasion.
