Mehraj Malik: 5 things about AAP leader who sealed stunning win in J&K's Doda

AAP candidate Mehraj Malik won with a margin of 4,538 votes, receiving a total of 23,228 votes in Jammu and Kashmir assembly elections 2024

Published on: Oct 8, 2024, 19:34:49 IST

By HT News Desk | Written by Sohil Sehran

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The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), which contested seven out of 90 seats in the Jammu and Kashmir assembly polls, has secured a victory only in the Doda constituency, establishing its presence in the Union Territory.

AAP candidate Mehraj Malik (R) with MP Sanjay Singh.

AAP candidate Mehraj Malik won with a margin of 4,538 votes, receiving a total of 23,228 votes. His closest rival, Gajay Singh Rana of the BJP, garnered 18,690 votes.

Following the victory, former Delhi chief minister and AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal congratulated Malik on his success in the assembly polls, saying that the party now has an MLA in the fifth state.

“Many congratulations on the grand victory of AAP candidate from Doda Mehraj Malik against the BJP. You fought the election very well. Congratulations to the entire party for having an MLA in the fifth state,” Kejriwal said in a Hindi post on X.

Among national leaders, AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh campaigned for Malik by addressing a mega rally in Doda.

Key information about AAP winner Mehraj Malik

Mehraj Malik, 36, joined the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in 2013 and was elected as a District Development Council (DDC) member from Kahara in 2020.
On October 17, 2022, the AAP appointed him as co-chairman of its state coordination committee in Jammu and Kashmir.
During the 2024 general elections, Malik contested as an independent candidate for the Udhampur-Kathua Lok Sabha seat, which was won by Union minister Dr. Jitendra Singh. Malik finished fourth, receiving 9,082 votes.
In 2014, he ran for the assembly elections in the Bhaderwah constituency but managed to secure only 365 votes. The seat was won by BJP's Daleep Singh.
In 2023, Malik led a protest with his supporters against authorities conducting a land eviction drive in the Bathindi area of Jammu. He was detained by the police during the protest but was later released.

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