STAVROPOL, May 19 (RIA Novosti) - A candidate for mayor in the southern Russian city of Kislovodsk, who was wounded in an assassination attempt earlier on Tuesday, is in stable condition, a doctor at the local hospital said.

At about 3 p.m. Moscow time an explosive device in a garbage container went off as Natalya Lutsenko left the Kislovodsk city administration building to approach her car. Lutsenko, two of her aides and a passerby were wounded in the blast and taken to the city hospital.

Investigators say that the explosive was a remote-controlled device, which was set off as Lutsenko passed the garbage container, adding that it was an attempt on her life and not just to scare her.

The early election for the post of the Kislovodsk mayor has been scheduled for May 31.

Previous mayor Vitaly Biryukov was dismissed and is currently under an investigation on charges of abuse of power.

Boris Gryzlov, a speaker for the Russian parliament's lower house, said the assassination attempt on Lutsenko, a member of the pro-presidential United Russia party, was "a demonstration of dirty politics" and all those involved in the attack must be found and punished.