<p>The 100,000-strong Pakistani refugees here have announced their support to the BJP candidate in what is being seen as a crucial step days before the Lok Sabha polls in Jammu and Kashmir.<br /><br /></p>.<p>Labha Ram Gandhi, leader of the Pakistani refugees' group, declared late Thursday their support to Jugal Kishore, the Bharatiya Janata Party candidate for the Jammu Lok Sabha seat.<br /><br />The refugees from Pakistan live in the three districts of Jammu, Samba and Kathua.<br /><br /> These refugees arrived in the state during 1947 and the wars of 1965 and 1971 between India and Pakistan.<br /><br />With over 40,000 voters, these refugees are seen as game changers in the polls.<br />BJP's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi, who addressed a rally in Hira Nagar town of Kathua district March 26, promised all citizenship rights to these refugees if the BJP comes to power.<br /><br />The refugees have voting rights for the parliamentary elections, but cannot vote for the state assembly elections.<br /><br />They cannot apply for government jobs, cannot either buy property or claim other citizenship rights, for which they have been fighting since they migrated.<br />Jammu and Kashmir has a constitution of its own which runs concomitantly with the country's constitution.<br /><br />The main contest in Jammu Lok Sabha constgituency is between the Congress candidate Madan Lal Sharma, who is seeking re-election, the BJP's Jugal Kishore and Peoples Democratic Party candidate Yashpal Sharma.<br /><br />The constituency goes to vote April 10.</p>
<p>The 100,000-strong Pakistani refugees here have announced their support to the BJP candidate in what is being seen as a crucial step days before the Lok Sabha polls in Jammu and Kashmir.<br /><br /></p>.<p>Labha Ram Gandhi, leader of the Pakistani refugees' group, declared late Thursday their support to Jugal Kishore, the Bharatiya Janata Party candidate for the Jammu Lok Sabha seat.<br /><br />The refugees from Pakistan live in the three districts of Jammu, Samba and Kathua.<br /><br /> These refugees arrived in the state during 1947 and the wars of 1965 and 1971 between India and Pakistan.<br /><br />With over 40,000 voters, these refugees are seen as game changers in the polls.<br />BJP's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi, who addressed a rally in Hira Nagar town of Kathua district March 26, promised all citizenship rights to these refugees if the BJP comes to power.<br /><br />The refugees have voting rights for the parliamentary elections, but cannot vote for the state assembly elections.<br /><br />They cannot apply for government jobs, cannot either buy property or claim other citizenship rights, for which they have been fighting since they migrated.<br />Jammu and Kashmir has a constitution of its own which runs concomitantly with the country's constitution.<br /><br />The main contest in Jammu Lok Sabha constgituency is between the Congress candidate Madan Lal Sharma, who is seeking re-election, the BJP's Jugal Kishore and Peoples Democratic Party candidate Yashpal Sharma.<br /><br />The constituency goes to vote April 10.</p>