When was Michail Gorbachev elected General secretary ?
Ligachev supported reform of the Soviet Union and initially supported Gorbachev ; however , as Gorbachev ’s policies of perestroika and glasnost began to resemble social democratic policies he distanced himself from Gorbachev , and by 1988 he was recognized as the leader of the more conservative , anti-Gorbachev faction of Soviet politicians .