Russian opposition alleges electoral fraud

MOSCOW, Oct. 21 (UPI) -- Russia's Communist Party says the country's elections chief should resign over alleged fraud.

The Communists, along with two other opposition parties, protested alleged fraud in Oct. 11 local elections by walking out of the State Duma, the lower house of parliament, this month in protest, RIA Novosti reported Wednesday.

Now Communist leader Gennady Zyuganov has told the Duma Vladimir Churov, chairman of the Central Election Commission, and Leonid Markelov, governor of the Volga Republic of Mari El, should resign over alleged election fraud, the news service said.

"We would not want our country to find itself in a political deadlock after it has found itself in a raw materials deadlock," Zyuganov reportedly said, asserting his party has developed a strategy to resolve the deadlock that will soon be delivered to President Dmitry Medvedev.

RIA Novosti said the opposition parties have demanded a meeting with Medvedev to talk about the alleged election fraud, which may happen as soon as this week.