Early returns show Kremlin favorite wins Chechen election
GROZNY, Russia Preliminary results show the Kremlin's favored candidate has overwhelmingly won the presidency of war-battered Chechnya. Opponents say the balloting was rigged.
The apparent winner is Chechnya's top police official (Major General Alu Alkhanov) who has nearly 75 percent of the vote.
Seven candidates were vying to replace the previous Kremlin-backed Chechen president, who was assassinated in May.
One contender says he's filed a complaint that a campaign worker ordered people to vote for the Kremlin's favorite son. Another candidate says he found ballot boxes stuffed shortly after a polling place opened.
The election is part of Moscow's strategy to try to undermine support for separatist rebels who have been fighting Russian forces for nearly five years.
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