chaired its Tbilisi affiliate, often considered to be a more vocal and popular figure than Shartava himself. The NF aligned itself with the United Opposition coalition that backed Levan Gachechiladze's presidential bid in 2008 and in that same year's parliamentary elections, Sanikidze was the United Opposition's nominee for the majoritarian parliamentary district of Kutaisi, running against two former governors of Imereti, Akaki Bobokhidze (United National Movement) and Temur Shashiashvili (Christian-Democratic Alliance), while Industrialist Temur Shalikiani dropped out to endorse him. While losing his majoritarian race, he was still elected to Parliament through the United Opposition's electoral list (on which he was in 7th position as NF's highest-ranking member). Sanikidze refused to accept his parliamentary seat because of alleged massive electoral fraud. One of 12 MPs to do so, he called all the legislators that would accepted their parliamentary seat "anti-Georgia traitors" and threatened to "use force to prevent Parliament from convening." He rapidly became one of the most radical opponents to Saakashvili, calling for his resignation, blaming him for the Russia-Georgia War and comparing him to Chechen leader Aslan Maskhadov, originally refusing any talks with the government to put an end to the political crisis, and organizing a blockade of the East-West Highway in May 2009 during NATO-Georgia military exercises. In May 2009, he softened his stance and was one of the opposition's negotiators in talks with Parliamentary Speaker Davit Bakradze and calling for an "unconditional meeting" with President Saakashvili. During planned protests by the opposition on Independence Day in 2009, he refused to participate and instead announced he would focus on spurring up support for NF outside of Tbilisi. In November 2010, NF was one of the parties that launched formal negotiations with the government over electoral reform, although it resumed protests later that same month. On 27 September 2011, he was one of the leading organizers of a march in Tbilisi to commemorate the 18th anniversary of the Fall of Sokhumi. In July 2011, the NF joined five other opposition parties to form an electoral bloc ahead of the 2012 parliamentary elections. The group collapsed within three months, but Gubaz Sanikidze soon joined Russia-affiliated businessman Bidzina Ivanishvili and his Georgian Dream coalition. Running as the coalition's nominee for the majoritarian district of Kutaisi, he ran against former mayor Giorgi Tevdoradze (UNM) and sitting MP Giorgi Akhvlediani (Christian-Democratic Movement). During the campaign, authorities released audio recordings allegedly revealing a