Afghan vote boycott creates turmoil

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BBC News Online's Sanjoy Majumder in Kabul says the boycott could make Mr Karzai's attempts to extend his political reach over this deeply divided country that much more difficult if he wins the vote.
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Mr Karzai sounded angry as he dismissed the complaints of 15 of the 18 presidential candidates.

"Who is more important, these 15 candidates or the millions of people who turned out today to vote?" he asked journalists in Kabul.
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The allegations of voter fraud arose after complaints that the indelible ink used to mark voters' fingers can be washed off.

The Associated Press reported the only woman candidate, Masooda Jalal, as saying: "The ink that is being used can be rubbed off in a minute. Voters can vote 10 times."

There was a brief suspension of the poll in some areas while the complaints were investigated.

The extent of potential fraud remains to be seen, but our correspondent says the row has provided a convenient rallying point for a previously disunited opposition.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/3729968.stm