Jakarta - Political parties led by the opposition Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle said Tuesday that last week's elections were rigged, calling the vote the "worst" since the fall of autocratic president Suharto in 1998. The Democratic Party of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono was leading in early vote counting after Thursday's parliamentary elections, and pollsters said the party would win about 20 per cent of the total votes.

Former presidents Megawati Sukarnoputri and Abdurrahman Wahid as well leaders of smaller political parties met at Megawati's house on Tuesday to forge a common stance on alleged election irregularities.

"The election was far from being fair, dignified, just and democratic," a spokesman for the group, former armed forces chief and presidential aspirant Wiranto, told a news conference.

Wiranto said millions of Indonesians were prevented from voting because their names were not registered in the voting lists.

"There have been systematic cheating and administrative errors. The government and the election commission were not neutral," he said, urging authorities to investigate the allegations.

The Elections Supervisory Body said Monday that more than 750 official reports of complaints about irregularities were recorded in the country's third elections since Suharto's fall, raising questions about the legitimacy of the vote in some areas.

The meeting at Megawati's house came as parties were posturing for alliances ahead of the July presidential election.

Parties, or coalitions of parties, that win at least 20 per cent of seats in the 560-member House of Representatives, or 25 per cent of the popular vote, may nominate candidates for the July presidential election.

Yudhoyono is a favourite to win in July with his popularity rating above 60 per cent, while Megawati comes a distant second.

Yudhoyono is expected to ally with the Muslim-oriented Justice and Prosperity Party, now in fourth position in vote counting at 8 per cent, and other smaller groupings.

Megawati's Democratic Party of Struggle was tied with Vice President Jusuf Kalla's Golkar Party at around 14 per cent in early vote results.

An official final result of the vote count is not due until May 9.

Megawati met with Wiranto and Prabowo Subianto, another former general who led the army special forces under Suharto, last week to discuss a coalition.

A Megawati pact with Wiranto and Prabowo is expected to draw criticism from human rights activists, who accuse both men of rights violations when they served in the military. (dpa)