It was alleged many have done so to appease Muslim voters in India.

As it happened, Mr. Gandhi's attempt to keep Muslim voters in his political corner has not succeeded.

The Republican Party courted Muslim voters during Bush's 2000 campaign but had lost nearly the entire demographic by 2008.

That idea, diplomats here say, is unrealistic, but it appeals to nationalist Muslim voters.

Other Muslim voters, many wiping back tears, were even closer to their former homes.

Until the late 1960's, India's Muslim voters overwhelmingly supported Congress, the dominant party at the time and one that has remained avowedly secular.

India's ruling Congress Party has targeted the state's Muslim voters with pledges of new quotas for government jobs and university places.

The endorsements had been the first given by a large, organized coalition of Muslim voters in New York City.

Pinning down the exact number of Muslim voters in the 2000 election is tricky, and estimates range from 500,000 to one million.

And those Christians who have been elected so far were brought to office largely by Muslim voters.