Former presidential candidate of Kazakhstan and first deputy chairman of the Auyl party, Toleutay Rakhimbekov, has announced his departure from the party and all its elected bodies. He informed the public of his decision after nearly 11 years of participation in the organisation's political activities.
WHAT IS KNOWN
As Toleutay Rakhimbekov reported on his Facebook page, he submitted his resignation from the party on 4 May. He noted that the decision was made after much deliberation.
Rakhimbekov said that from September 2015, his socio-political activities were linked to the Auyl party. Over the years, he served on the Presidium and the Political Council of the party, and held the position of first deputy chairman for more than five years.
The party nominated him as a candidate in the presidential elections of Kazakhstan in 2019, as well as in the elections for deputies of the Mazhilis of Parliament in 2021 and 2023.
WHAT POSITIONS DOES HE CURRENTLY HOLD
In his statement, Toleutay Rakhimbekov did not specify the reasons for leaving the party.
He currently works in bodies related to the Ministry of Agriculture and agricultural science.
WHAT SCANDALS HAVE PREVIOUSLY BEEN LINKED TO RAKHIMBEKOV
In 2020, Toleutay Rakhimbekov's name appeared in a public conflict surrounding the NJSC 'National Agrarian Scientific and Educational Centre' (NASEC), which he headed. A group of scientists and employees from agricultural institutes sent appeals to the country's leadership, criticising the centre's management and alleging a potential conflict of interest in dealings with companies linked to Rakhimbekov's family.
The authors of the appeals claimed that subsidiary organisations allegedly coerced participation in credit partnerships and demanded monetary contributions. The publications mentioned companies that could have been associated with Rakhimbekov himself and his wife.
Furthermore, in December 2022, a public conflict erupted around Toleutay Rakhimbekov following statements by his stepdaughter, Aybota Rakhimbekova. The young woman claimed that after her mother's death, the politician allegedly harassed her on multiple occasions and, according to her, fraudulently obtained a share of the inheritance.
Rakhimbekov himself denied the accusations. According to him, the dispute was related to inheritance matters, which included an apartment in Astana and a business in Zhezkazgan.
In December 2025, Rakhimbekov's stepdaughter stated that a pre-trial investigation had been ongoing for more than two years, which, in her opinion, was being delayed despite the existence of evidence.