The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), led by Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, has made its formal entry into the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly with a notable victory in the Doda constituency. Mehraj Malik, a 36-year-old dynamic leader, secured the seat by defeating the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) Gajay Singh Rana with a margin of 4,538 votes, marking a significant moment in AAP’s national political expansion.
A Close Contest in Doda
In the Doda assembly constituency, which has no fixed voting pattern and has seen multiple parties take turns representing it, Mehraj Malik emerged victorious with 23,228 votes. His closest competitor, Gajay Singh Rana of the BJP, garnered 18,690 votes, while Jammu & Kashmir National Conference’s Khalid Najib Suharwardy came in third with 13,334 votes. Doda constituency has a total of 98,592 registered voters, and the election recorded a turnout of 72.49% during the first phase on September 18.
Doda’s voting history has been inconsistent, with the BJP winning the seat in 2014 and the Congress in 2008. Malik’s victory marks a significant shift in the region’s political landscape, bringing AAP into the forefront of Jammu and Kashmir’s electoral politics.
AAP’s Expanding National Presence
Mehraj Malik’s victory in Jammu and Kashmir signals AAP’s successful expansion beyond its traditional strongholds of Delhi and Punjab. AAP now holds a presence in five states, following its success in Goa and Gujarat, where it appointed two MLAs and five MLAs, respectively, in 2022. With Malik’s win, AAP continues to establish itself as a national political force, gaining representation in regions where it previously had little to no presence.
Mehraj Malik’s Political Journey
Malik’s rise to political prominence has been steady and determined. His political journey began in 2013 when he joined the Aam Aadmi Party. However, his early forays into electoral politics were less successful. In the 2014 elections, Malik contested from the Bhaderwah constituency in Doda district as an Independent candidate, securing only 365 votes (0.51%) out of a total of 73,463 votes polled. Fast forward to 2024, Malik managed to capture 32% of the total 72,980 votes polled, showcasing his growing political influence.
Apart from being an AAP candidate, Malik also has a history as an Independent political figure. In 2021, he won the District Development Council (DDC) election from the Kahara constituency, becoming the first elected public representative of AAP in Jammu and Kashmir, albeit without the party’s official symbol.
Criminal Charges and Affidavit Details
As per his affidavit submitted to the Election Commission of India (ECI), Mehraj Malik has six pending criminal cases against him, including charges of criminal intimidation, house trespass, and promoting enmity between different groups. Despite these allegations, Malik’s political career has continued to flourish, and his assets, as per the affidavit, are worth Rs. 29,070.
AAP Leaders Celebrate a Landmark Victory
Mehraj Malik’s victory was celebrated across AAP’s leadership. Party chief Arvind Kejriwal, who had just been released from jail on September 13, congratulated Malik on his win, noting that the candidate had run a commendable campaign. Sanjay Singh, an AAP Rajya Sabha MP, was one of the key figures who campaigned for Malik in Doda.
Despite Kejriwal’s inability to campaign in Doda due to time constraints, AAP’s leadership rallied behind Malik, with Delhi Chief Minister Atishi declaring that Malik’s victory marked the arrival of Kejriwal’s revolutionary governance model in Jammu and Kashmir.
Jammu and Kashmir Assembly Election Results
As of Tuesday afternoon, results for 46 out of 90 seats in the Jammu and Kashmir assembly elections had been declared. The National Conference (NC) had emerged as the leading party, winning 29 seats and leading in 12 more. The BJP had secured 17 seats and was leading in an additional 12 constituencies. Meanwhile, the Congress had won five seats. With Malik’s victory, AAP now has its first-ever MLA in Jammu and Kashmir, further diversifying the political dynamics of the region.
