Polling began in the two assembly constituencies of Rohru and Jawali in Himachal Pradesh Saturday, officials said.

Voters in both the constituencies - Rohru in Shimla district and Jawali in Kangra district - were seen standing in queues outside the polling stations even before voting started at 8 a.m.

'The polling process has started peacefully and well in time at all the polling booths. It will continue till 5 p.m.,' state chief electoral officer Anil Khachi told IANS.

A total of 145,957 voters will decide the fate of eight candidates, including four independents, on both the seats. The main contest is between the opposition Congress and the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

While the Rohru seat fell vacant after five-time former chief minister Virbhadra Singh of the Congress was elected to the Lok Sabha, the by-poll in Jawali has been necessitated by Rajan Sushant of the BJP who also won election to parliament.

The Congress has fielded former minister Sujan Singh Pathania against BJP's Baldev Raj Chaudhary from Jawali. BJP rebel Madan Sharma is also contesting from Jawali as an independent candidate.

From Rohru, BJP has pitted Khushi Ram Balnatah against Manjit Singh of the Congress.

Congress leaders, including Steel Minister Virbhadra Singh, his wife Pratibha Singh, state chief Kaul Singh Thakur and legislative party chief Vidya Stokes campaigned for the party.

BJP leaders, including Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal, former union minister Shanta Kumar and Sushant, held rallies in both the constituencies.

Chief Electoral Officer Khachi said 209 polling parties have been deployed in both the constituencies.

'In Rohru, a polling party trudged 14 km to reach the polling booth in Pandar in the interiors of Dodra Kawar,' he said.

According to him, 24 and 17 polling stations have been declared as hyper sensitive in Rohru and Jawali, respectively.

The BJP had fared well in the May general elections, winning three out of the four parliamentary seats in the state.

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