CAIRO: Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood, the biggest opposition bloc in the outgoing parliament, and a smaller Wafd Party Wednesday withdrew from an election they said was rigged by thugs, ballot box stuffing and other ploys. Sunday's first round set up President Hosni Mubarak's party for its usual sweeping victory after run-offs due to be held on Dec. 5. Government officials said the race was free and fair. Independent monitoring groups said the result was discredited by abuses. The US, Egypt's major aid donor, said it was disappointed by the conduct of the poll. The Brotherhood, which controlled a fifth of seats in the outgoing parliament but emerged from the first round with none, said it would not contest run-offs for 26 of its candidates. “We hope this decision to boycott will unite opposition forces,” Saad Al-Katatni, the head of the parliamentary bloc who lost his own seat, said after the Brotherhood announced the decision to quit. Wafd, which controlled 12 seats in the outgoing assembly, also said it was pulling out. It won two seats in the first round and was set to contest nine run
