Opposition supporters at a blockade of the government headquarters in Kiev. (AFP)

Kiev, Dec. 29 (Reuters): Defeated Ukrainian presidential candidate Viktor Yanukovich pulled out of a cabinet meeting today under pressure from his liberal opponent, but tried to keep a toehold on power by contesting the election result.

Yanukovich ? clinging to his Prime Minister?s post by a technicality ? has refused to concede defeat in Sunday?s re-run presidential election. But the West-leaning winner, Viktor Yushchenko, has pledged that the cabinet he still leads will not be allowed to meet.

The government initially cancelled a meeting at its headquarters after Yushchenko?s supporters massed to keep Yanukovich out. ?We will not let Yanukovich in. He will not be able to conduct a meeting,? one of the organisers said. It then moved its session to another part of the capital, but the embattled Premier stayed away, according to Vitaly Lukyanenko, press secretary for finance minister Mykola Azarov.

Instead Yanukovich, who has vowed never to acknowledge his rival?s victory, lodged complaints with the election commission and the Supreme Court alleging violations in Sunday?s ballot. Parliament sacked Yanukovich as head of the government early this month, shortly after an election run-off won by him was annulled as fraudulent.

But the outgoing President, Leonid Kuchma, never signed a final decree, although on election day he said the loser should concede within two days.

Official confirmation of the result of the re-run could take several days, but the preliminary full count gave Yushchenko 51.99 per cent to the Premier?s 44.19 per cent.

A spokeswoman for the Central Election Commission said it had received the complaint late yesterday listing violations of election law in all of Ukraine?s 225 electoral districts. The civil chamber of the Supreme Court had already begun considering Yanukovich?s complaints.

Yushchenko, who wants to nudge the former Soviet state towards Europe, told tens of thousands of supporters last night that Yanukovich had no right to remain in office.

?Let me officially declare there will be no meeting of the government, this illegal government,? Yushchenko said. Yanukovich?s return to work this week appeared to be a sign that he hopes to exploit his sole remaining power base.

Parliament speaker Volodymyr Lytvyn, a key player in moves to end weeks of turmoil sparked by the rigged poll, said the Premier?s continued presence had ?caused indignation for no good reason?, according to Interfax Ukraine news agency. Western observers have praised the poll but Russia said there had again been violations.

The Council of Europe, a human rights watchdog and one of the few pan-European organisations of which Ukraine is a member, has urged all sides to accept the verdict.

Dutch Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende, speaking for the EU, telephoned Yushchenko and welcomed the results, an EU statement said.