Voting underway in Bihar's five Lok Sabha seats

Voting began on Monday amid tight security for five Lok Sabha constituencies in Bihar, officials said.

The voting is underway in Sitamarhi, Madhubani, Muzaffarpur, Hajipur and Saran parliamentary constituencies. More than 87 lakh voters would decide the fate of 82 candidates.

Heavy security forces have been deployed at the polling booths and three helicopters requisitioned to assist the security forces.

The prominent candidates in the fray are Chandrika Rai (RJD, Saran), father in law of RJD chief Lalu Prasad's elder son Tej Pratap Yadav. He is taking on senior BJP leader and former Union Minister Rajiv Pratap Rudy.

In Muzaffarpur, sitting BJP MP Ajay Nishad is caught in a tough battle with Vikassheel Insaan Party's Raj Bhusan Choudhary.

In Hajipur, Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) candidate Pashupati Kumar Paras is being challenged by RJD's Shiv Chandra Ram. Paras is the younger brother of LJP chief and Union Minister Ram Vilas Paswan who is not contesting this time.

There were some reports of problems in EVM machines at several booths in Darbhanga, Begusarai, Samastipur and Munger.

--IANS

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