MOSCOW - The ruling United Russia party plans to formally nominate Prime Minister Vladimir Putin as its candidate for presidency in November, Russia's State Duma Speaker Boris Gryzlov said Thursday.

The party originally planned to nominate Putin only after the parliamentary elections scheduled for December 4.

"Because we have already achieved agreement over the candidate and this is Vladimir Putin. As soon as the date of the elections is announced, we will convene," Gryzlov told a news briefing in the city of Tula.

Gryzlov, who is also chairman of the United Russia's supreme council, added that the third session of the United Russia's congress might be held in late November.

At the United Russia's congress in September, incumbent Russian President Dmitry Medvedev ruled out the possibility that he would run for a second term, throwing his weight behind Putin instead.

Russia's upcoming presidential election is scheduled for March 4, 2012.