Seven states go to polls in Phase 8 of Lok Sabha election 2014

Patna, May 7: Polling began Wednesday in Bihar for seven Lok Sabha seats, officials said. By-polls for two assembly seats are also being held.

As many as 118 candidates are in the fray for the Lok Sabha seats of Sheohar, Sitamarhi, Muzaffarpur, Maharajganj, Saran, Hajipur and Ujiarpur.

Jammu & Kashmir goes to polls

Balloting in Jammu and Kashmir for two Lok Sabha seats also began.

As many as 19 candidates are vying for the two parliamentary constituencies of Baramulla and Ladakh.
In Baramulla, incumbent MP Sharief Ud-Din Shariq of the National Conference is pitted against Ghulam Mohammad Mir from the Bharatiya Janata Party and Muzaffar Hussain Baig of the Peoples Democratic Party.

The Congress has not fielded any candidate for the seat.

In Ladakh, which is the seat of independent Hassan Khan, Thupstan Chhewang of the BJP is fighting it out against Tsering Samphel of the Congress. Independents Syed Mohd. Kazim and Ghulam Raza are also in the fray.

Polling underway in Uttarakhand

Balloting in Uttarakhand for all its five Lok Sabha seats began Wednesday, officials said.

As many as 74 candidates are in the fray.

In Hardwar, the Congress has fielded Renuka Rawat, wife of Chief Minister Harish Rawat, against former chief minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank of the Bharatiya Janata Party.

In Garhwal, BJP candidate and former chief minister Maj. Gen. (retd) B.C. Khanduri is pitted against Harak Singh Rawat of the Congress.

Voting begins in West Bengal

Balloting for six Lok Sabha seats and by-poll for one assembly seat in West Bengal began Wednesday at 7 am, officials said.

As many as 72 candidates are in the fray for the parliamentary seats.

A total of four candidates are fighting in the by-poll for the Kotulpur assembly seat.

Voting starts in Uttar Pradesh

Polling in Uttar Pradesh for 15 Lok Sabha seats began at 7 pm, officials said. By-polls for two state assembly seats is also being held.

As many as 243 candidates are in fray for the Lok Sabha.

In Amethi, incumbent MP and Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi faces Kumar Vishwas of the Aam Aadmi Party and Smriti Irani of the Bharatiya Janata Party.

Bypolls are being held in two state assembly constituencies - Rampur Khas and Vishwanathganj.

Balloting begins in Himachal Pradesh

Balloting in Himachal Pradesh for its four Lok Sabha seats and by-poll for one assembly seat began Wednesday at 7 am, officials said.

As many as 38 candidates are in the fray for the parliamentary seats and four are in contention in the assembly by-poll for Sujanpur seat.

Over 4.8 million electors are eligible to exercise their franchise.

Balloting is being held at 7,382 polling stations.

Voting underway in Seemandhra

Voting began Wednesday in Andhra Pradesh for 25 Lok Sabha seats and 175 state assembly seats in Seemandhra region, officials said.

Polling for the parliamentary seats and the state assembly is being held simultaneously.

As many as 335 candidates are in the fray for the parliamentary seats.

The state will be formally divided June 2 into Telangana and the residuary Andhra Pradesh.

IANS