Algerian President Abd Al-Aziz Bouteflika has been re-elected, scoring a resounding victory over five challengers in Thursday's presidential polls. Bouteflika secured a stunning 83.5% of the votes, leaving his principal challenger Ali Benflis way far behind at a dismal 7.93%. Benflis immediately rejected the result, charging "rampant fraud." He said even North Korean strongman Kim 11 Sung "couldn't have done better." Sacked as Bouteflika's head of government last May in an acrimonious falling-out, Benflis had mounted a serious challenge to Bouteflika. **Crucial elections*** The elections were billed as a watershed for Algerian democracy because for the first time the all-powerful military declared itself neutral in the process. Electoral laws were also liberalized so that party officials would be given vote tallies. About 120 international observers were also on hand. Bouteflika, who was elected under a cloud five years ago in an empty contest after all six of his rivals pulled out alleging fraud, asked supporters at his final campaign rally on Monday to hand him the "crushing victory" needed for a "credible state." **Caustic criticism*** But finishing a poor fourth, contestant Said Sadi said the outcome was "grotesque." But Interior Minister Farid Zerhuni, in announcing the results, categorically rejected the possibility of fraud, arguing that every possible measure was taken to guarantee a free and fair vote. French President Jacques Chirac and Morocco's King Abd Allah II were among the first to congratulate Bouteflika. President George Bush also sent in his congratulations, as some international observers said the election had been conducted by "European standards." **PHOTO CAPTION*** The president secured 83.5% of the votes. (Al-Jazeera)