Voting underway in five LS seats in Bihar

Patna, April 29 (IANS) Voting began on Monday in five Lok Sabha seats in Bihar for the fourth phase of Lok Sabha election.

Long queues of men and women were seen to cast their votes.

There were reports about voting delay and problems in EVMs at some polling booths. However, there were no reports of violence.

According to officials, voting is underway in Begusarai, Ujiarpur, Darbhanga, Munger and Samastipur parliamentary constituencies.

More than 87 lakh voters are eligible to decide the fate of 67 candidates, including 3 women.

Heavy security forces have been deployed at the polling booths and three helicopters have been requisitioned to provide air cover to security forces during polls.

"In initial morning hour of polling, voters, particularly women in large number were seen standing before polling booths to escape scorching sun later in the day" official said.

Prominent candidates in the fray are Union Minister and BJP candidate Giriraj Singh and CPI candidate and former JNUSU President Kanhaiya Kumar from Begusarai seat. BJP state chief Nityanand Rai from Ujiarpur seat, where RLSP chief and former Union Minister Upendra Kushwaha is also in fray.

In Munger, JD-U has fielded Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's close aide and Bihar Minister Lalan Singh. While, Congress has fielded Neelam Devi, wife of independent legislator Anant Singh.

In Darbhanga, former Bihar minister and senior RJD leader Abdul Bari Suddiqui is in fray.