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MOSCOW — The leading opposition candidate in Kyrgyzstan essentially withdrew from the presidential race on Thursday even before voting had concluded, asserting that widespread fraud had assured the incumbent’s victory.
Almazbek Atambaev, a former prime minister, called on the public and international organizations to reject the election as unlawful. Election officials dismissed his accusations, saying that the balloting was legitimate.
The Russian state news agency said an exit poll showed the incumbent, Kurmanbek Bakiyev, with 67 percent of the vote, and Atambaev with 13 percent.
