KRASNOYARSK, February 15 (RIA Novosti) - Russian First Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, a presidential favorite, said Friday that his election program contained four key areas - Institutions, Infrastructure, Innovation, Investment.

Medvedev was publicly backed by Putin as his successor in mid-December, and was later nominated by the ruling United Russia party as a presidential candidate for the country's crucial elections due on March 2.

"We should concentrate on the so called four I's - Institutions, Infrastructure, Innovation and Investment," the official said.

Addressing an economic forum in the Siberian city of Krasnoyarsk, Medvedev named seven tasks which needed implementing within the four areas, including steps to remove administrative barriers and reduce tax burdens to encourage innovation and private investment in social development.

The Levada pollster said on Thursday that a total of 80% of respondents planning to vote in March elections would back Dmitry Medvedev.

The other three presidential candidates include Communist leader Gennady Zyuganov, ultra nationalist Liberal Democratic Party leader Vladimir Zhirinovsky and Andrei Bogdanov, who leads the tiny pro-Western Democratic Party.

Early voting was launched in Russia's remote areas on Friday.