Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Apr 3: Overwhelmed by Modi wave, West Pak refugee leader, Labha Ram Gandhi, who was contesting elections as an independent candidate from Jammu- Poonch Lok Saba constituency, today announced his retirement from the poll fray in support of BJP candidate, Jugal Kishore Sharma.
Announcing his decision at a press conference at BJP Headquarters here, this evening along with BJP Prabhari for the State and Party MP, Avinash Rai Khanna, Capt (retd) Yudhvir Singh, chairman Refugees United Front and Kavinder Gupta State general secretary, BJP, Mr Gandhi said that he has taken the decision in response to recent statement of BJP Prime Ministerial candidate, Narendra Modi at an election rally at Hiranagar on March 26 in which he expressed his grave concern over the denial of citizenship rights to West Pak refugees and announced that BJP after coming to power at Centre will settle the issues of all refugees.
He said the hectic parleys were held by refugee groups on the announcement of Mr Modi and apprehending that Congress may take the benefit of his candidature due to spilt of refugees’ vote, “it was decided that I should retire from poll fray in support of BJP.”
However, he did not show any inclination of joining BJP at this juncture. He announced refugees will support BJP candidates in other constituencies also.
He said West Pak refugees who have over one lakh voters in Jammu -Poonch Parliamentary constituency are pinning high hopes on Modi that he will settle their problem once for all after coming to power.
Mr Gandhi said besides the announcement of Mr Modi Avinash Roy Khanna also held hectic parlays with refugee leaders and reiterated BJP’s commitment of settling their problem once Party comes to power at the Centre.
He said through Mr Khanna he was also in touch with senior BJP leaders at New Delhi who gave him an assurance in this regard. Besides, BJP has been continuously fighting for the refugees’ demands and it is hoped that the Government led by it will definitely take steps in settling their issue once for all, he added.
Avinash Roy Khanna while welcoming the decision said it is a positive step. While reiterating BJP commitment in settling the problems of refugees, he said during the Vajpayee’s tenure the then Government was near to settle the issue but the same fell through after UPA came to power at the Centre.
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