Baku, Nov 6, SPA -- Azerbaijan's president Ilham Aliev pledged that Sunday's parliamentary elections would be followed by further democratization of the oil-rich republic. The election pits Aliev's New Azerbaijan Party against theAzadliq (Freedom) coalition, the New Policy bloc oftechnocrats, and an array of smaller parties andindependent candidates. Some 1,541 candidates are vying forplaces in the 125-seat parliament, or Milli Majlis, whichwill sit for five years. Aliev said the campaign had been fair and that "theprocess of democratization would continue after theseelections." Minutes before, he had cast his ballot at acentral Baku school, where a huge portrait hung of his latefather and presidential predecessor, Geidar Aliev. "Equal conditions were provided for all the candidatesand, in general, the whole election process was smooth andpeaceful," he said. "After the election, Azerbaijan willcontinue to develop in various directions _ developing astrong economy." But Ali Kerimli, one of the three main opposition leaders,said his Popular Front of Azerbaijan had recorded"numerous violations." He said that if the violationswere "massive," the opposition would consider calling forthe results to be annulled, according to a report of The Associated Press.--SPA1353 Local Time 1053 GMT www.spa.gov.sa/300844