ULAN BATOR (AFP)--Mongolia's former communists said Monday they had won a majority of seats in the nation's parliament and were poised to end four years of a messy coalition government with their political rivals.

The Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party (MPRP) announced it won a majority in the 76-seat Grand Hural by taking 44 parliamentary seats in Sunday's elections and were ready to set up a new government.

"We can't give the complete election results yet, but the election did go well for us," MPRP leader and Prime Minister Sanjagiin Bayar told journalists.

To gain a majority in the Great Hural a party needs to win at least 39 seats.

The MPRP said the rival Democrats had taken 21 seats and three other parties won one seat each, while votes on eight other seats were still being tallied.

The General Election Committee, which must formally declare the winner, said that the MPRP's announcement was premature.

"The parties are announcing unconfirmed numbers and they are celebrating too early," election committee official Purevdorjiin Naranbat said.

"The numbers are still coming. Maybe we will make a formal announcement tomorrow (Tuesday)."

Independent pollsters also gave the election to the MPRP, with the non-profit Sant Maral Foundation, saying the former communists had won up to 45 seats.

"It looks like the MPRP is winning and has enough of a majority to form their own government," said Luvsandendev Sumati, head of the Sant Maral Foundation. " As of now they have around 44 or 45 seats."

Mongolia is a nation the size of Alaska surrounded by Russia and China. It has a population of 2.6 million people, many of whom are nomadic herders.

-Dow Jones Newswires; 201-938-5500

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