AAP’s lone MLA Mehraj Malik withdraws support from National Conference govt in J&K

Mehraj Malik said the decision to withdraw support to NC was made in the best interest of J&K’s people, whose trust and welfare will always be his top priority.

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA Mehraj Malik, who represents the Doda constituency, announced on Saturday that he is withdrawing support from the National Conference (NC)-led coalition government in Jammu and Kashmir, news agency ANI reported.

AAP MLA Mehraj Malik from Doda said the decision was taken with the well-being of the people of the Union Territory as the main consideration. (PTI)

Malik, who also serves as AAP's State President in J&K, made the declaration on the social media platform X, saying, "I, Mehraj Malik, MLA from Doda, hereby withdraw my support to NC in the government coalition."

He said the move was made keeping in mind the welfare of the people in the Union Territory.

“This decision has been taken in the best interest of my people of Jammu and Kashmir, whose trust and welfare will always be my top priority,” he added.

Stressing that genuine public service requires commitment, not justifications, Malik wrote, “Kejriwal ji resigned after 49 days when he couldn’t serve the people the way he wanted. Omar Abdullah ji has been in power for over 9 months, yet hasn’t delivered anything not because he can’t, but because he won’t. Public service demands intent, not excuses. @ArvindKejriwal”

When did AAP extend support to National Conference in J&K?

Malik's decision to withdraw support comes nearly eight months after he had extended backing to the NC-Congress alliance, following his historic victory in the 2024 Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections.

On October 8, 2024, Aam Aadmi Party’s (AAP) Mehraj Malik scripted history by winning the Doda seat, defeating the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) Gajay Singh Rana by a margin of 4,538 votes. He remains the party’s sole representative in the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly.

AAP made its debut in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly with its first-ever win in the region during last year’s elections. The victory marked the party’s entry into its fifth state, sparking celebrations among its members. Following the result, AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal praised Mehraj Malik for his hard-fought campaign and congratulated the entire party on the milestone.

Later in the same month, AAP announced that it would support the Jammu and Kashmir National Conference (JKNC) after the NC-Congress alliance emerged as the majority in the newly elected Assembly. The alliance secured 49 seats – 42 by the National Conference and 6 by the Congress – gaining a clear majority in the House.

According to the Times of India, AAP also submitted a formal letter of support to the Lieutenant Governor's office for the Omar Abdullah-led government. The party said, "Aam Aadmi Party will extend support to JKNC in Jammu & Kashmir. The letter of support has been submitted to the Lt Governor. J&K Assembly has one MLA of AAP."