An exit poll for Russia’s parliamentary elections points to a sharp drop in support for Prime Minister Vladimir Putin’s United Russia party.
The poll for Russian state TV showed 48.5% support for United Russia, down from 64% in 2007.
That would give Mr Putin’s party 220 members in the 450-seat lower house of parliament, down from 315.
Russia’s only independent monitoring group, Golos, logged 5,300 complaints alleging violations of election laws.
Another exit poll, by state pollster VTSIOM, gave United Russia 48%, while one by the FOM group put it at 46%.
If the result is confirmed, United Russia could lose its current two-thirds majority which allowed it to change the constitution unchallenged.
Nonetheless, party chairman Boris Gryzlov says the party hopes to get a majority in the Duma.
Exit polls suggest the Communists will take second place, with about 20% of the vote.
“We have received thousands of calls from regional offices, confirming massive violations and fraud,” said party deputy head Ivan Melnikov on the party website.
“Throughout the day, it was like receiving reports from a war zone.”
The BBC’s Steve Rosenberg, in Moscow, says if confirmed, the result will be a significant embarrassment to Mr Putin, three months before he is scheduled to run again for the Russian presidency.
He says opposition parties are alleging widespread fraud, including the stuffing of ballot boxes and voters being offered money.
Source-BBC
