Polling for the 68-seat Himachal Pradesh assembly in a single phase began amid tight security on Thursday, an election official said here. Voters across the state could be seen reaching polling stations even before polling started at 8 a.m. despite cold.

Himachal Pradesh chief minister Virbhadra Singh (C) talking with the media after releasing a party manifesto at the Indian National Congress Party office in Shimla. Pic/AFP