Given this timeline's trajectory, however, I wonder if we are subbing Gorby for Tereshkova (given her status as the reformer) and Gorbachev likely taking up some mantle of being the "power behind the throne", if you will.
If I remember correctly (could be wrong), the reason why Gorbachev took over after the stop-gap of Chernenko was because of how close he was to Andropov. I think they also holidayed together in the Caucasus on occasion too. So, assuming Andropov still meets him, I strongly suspect Gorby may well end up in the General Secretary seat regardless; especially if Andropov dies and makes his preference for him absolutely clear along with Gromyko still putting his word in.
The fact Grishin pulled Chernenko to cast his vote when he was dying undoubtedly harmed his standing against Gorby. I'm unsure of Grigory Romanov's qualities though.
If it came down to Gorbachev or a Soviet celebrity the party room would probably go for the party man in my opinion - Gorby had been a party functionary for awhile and he didn't just emerge out of nowhere.
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