He consolidated the republic's ruling elite (which now consisted almost entirely of ethnic Azerbaijanis), reversing the previous rapprochement. Aliyev was appointed a member of the Communist Party's Politburo in Moscow, the highest position attained by an Azeri in the Soviet Union, in 1982.
He unified the ruling class of the republic (which had become predominantly composed of ethnic Azerbaijanis), reversing the previous thaw. Aliyev was appointed a member of the Communist Party's Politburo in Moscow, the highest position held by an Azeri in the Soviet Union, in 1982.