J-K elections: AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal congratulates Mehraj Malik for winning Doda seat

New Delhi [India], October 8 (ANI): Former Delhi Chief Minister and AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday congratulated party candidate Mehraj Malik for winning Doda seat in the Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir.
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has achieved a significant milestone in Jammu and Kashmir by winning the Doda assembly constituency, where AAP candidate Mehraj Malik triumphed over BJP's Gajay Singh Rana.

"Many congratulations to Aam Aadmi Party candidate Mehraj Malik from Doda for winning a landslide victory by defeating BJP. You fought a very good election. Congratulations to the entire Aam Aadmi Party on becoming MLA in the fifth state," Kejriwal wrote in a post on X.
AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal congratulated Mehraj Malik on his victory during a video call, expressing that "all Aam Aadmi Party workers across the country are thrilled that we now have an MLA in a fifth state/Union terriroty"

Spoke to Mehraj Malik, AAP’s star of the day… pic.twitter.com/YZqx5g88m4

— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) October 8, 2024

Malik extended an invitation to Kejriwal to visit Kashmir on October 10, and Kejriwal confirmed the visit, stating, "I will be in the Union Territory on October 10."

With its victory in Doda, the Aam Aadmi Party has now established a presence in five states including Goa, Gujarat, Punjab, Delhi, and Jammu and Kashmir.

The Congress-National Conference alliance has surpassed the halfway mark by winning 49 out of 90 seats in the Assembly elections and is poised to form the government. This includes 42 seats for the National Conference, 6 for the Indian National Congress, and 1 for the Communist Party of India (Marxist) - CPI (M).

Soon after the National Conference-Congress alliance crossed the halfway mark, National Conference chief and former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah announced his son Omar Abdullah as the next Chief Minister of the Union Territory.

"People have given their mandate; they have proven that they don't accept the decision that was taken on August 5... Omar Abdullah will be the Chief Minister," the senior Abdullah told reporters as Election Commission results indicated the National Conference-Congress alliance likely crossing the majority mark in the 90-member Jammu and Kashmir Assembly.

Omar Abdullah, also a former CM, will be the next Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, Farooq Abdullah confirmed.

Speaking to reporters, Farooq Abdullah added, "We want to tackle issues of unemployment, inflation, and others. I am grateful to everyone for casting their votes. Omar Abdullah will be the Chief Minister."

Jammu and Kashmir's first assembly elections since 2014 took place in three phases, with the first phase on September 18 allowing voting for 24 seats, and the second phase on September 25 covering 26 seats. (ANI)