He now heads the Republican People's Party of Kazakhstan, but lives in the West in exile. Adam Albion of Radio Free Europe characterized Kazhegeldin's efforts at democratizing Kazakhstan as "defiant, confrontational, and openly scornful of the idea" that Nursultan Nazarbaev, the President of Kazakhstan, "will ever share power willingly." Digital Freedom Network credits Kazhegeldin's Prime Ministership with establishing a "stable currency, bank system, and privatization programs that led to growth. He worked at attracting foreign investment, and helped to lay groundwork for a stock market." In 1998 he was elected President of the Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs of Kazakhstan. The publishing of his book, Kazakhstan: The Right to Choose, led to a political rift with President Nazarbayev. The rift widened when Kazhegeldin's 21st Century Freedom Foundation sponsored amendments to the constitution regarding free elections. Kazhegeldin has since been barred from participating in presidential elections because of his participation in an unsanctioned demonstration, "an administrative offense." In April 1998, after he had left the country, the government charged him with tax evasion and illegally buying real estate in Belgium. In December 1998, Kazhegeldin founded the Republican People's Party and attempted to challenge Nazarbayev in the 1999 Kazakh presidential election. During the campaign, Kazhegeldin, along with his associates were beaten, harassed, and stalked. An assassination attempt was made towards him by a gunfire outside the city of Almaty. Kazhegeldin was eventually barred from participating in the elections due to his involvement in an unregistered organization of the Movement for Honest Elections. Kazhegeldin attempted to return to Kazakhstan to attend his father-in-law funeral and to campaign for the 1999 Kazakh legislative election. At the request of the Prosecutor General of Kazakhstan, he was detained by the Russian police in the Sheremetyevo Airport on 10 September 1999 and was held in custody for 9 hours until Kazhegeldin complained of heart pains. He was taken to a Kremlin hospital for treatment and was held there for 4 days until Kazhegeldin was transferred to a Barvikha Sanatorium on 15 September. Prosecutor General of Kazakhstan Yuri Khitrin and his officials attempted to visit him but were barred at the request of Kazhegeldin. A telephone conversion instead was held between the two parties where Khitrin told Kazhegeldin that he could return to Kazakhstan "voluntarily". Later that day, Kazhegeldin was freed of charges and was allowed to leave Russia. According to Kazhegeldin himself, the reason for his attempted return was due to the fact that the Kazakhstan's Ambassador to United StatesBolat Nurgaliyev wrote an article for the Washington Times, stating that Kazhegeldin could return to Kazakhstan freely without having fears of being arrested. He denies the charges and said they were motivated by politics. Kazhegeldin has accused President Nazarbayev of authoritarianism, nepotism, and indifference to violations of human rights.
