Know Who Is Mehraj Malik, AAP's Winning Candidate In Jammu And Kashmir

The Aam Aadmi Party's Mehraj Malik is leading in the Doda legislative seat during the first Assembly election in Jammu and Kashmir in ten years. This follows his historic win in local body polls in December 2020. As of 1:30 pm, Election Commission data shows Malik nearly 5,000 votes ahead of BJP's Gajay Singh Rana and leading National Conference's Khalid Najib Suharwardy by about 10,000 votes.

In the previous 2014 election, the BJP's Shakti Raj secured the Doda seat. Historically, this seat has alternated between the National Conference and Congress since the first election in 1962. The current election results are surprising for many, especially since AAP has not performed well in Haryana, Arvind Kejriwal's home state.

AAP's Unexpected Performance

The AAP's performance in Jammu and Kashmir contrasts with its struggles in Haryana, where it failed to secure any seats. This is significant as it couldn't reach a seat-sharing agreement with Congress, despite their alliance under the INDIA bloc at the national level. Rahul Gandhi had advocated for opposition unity, but state leaders from both parties opposed a deal.

Meanwhile, Malik is leading in a region troubled by recent terror attacks. In August, an Army Captain was killed during an encounter with terrorists in Assar district. Security forces recovered a US-made assault rifle and blood-soaked rucksacks with equipment. In July, J&K Police launched a major crackdown on terror networks after four Army personnel were killed in Doda.

Political Landscape and Security Concerns

Doda also holds significance as Prime Minister Narendra Modi began BJP's Jammu and Kashmir campaign there last month. His visit marked the first by a sitting Prime Minister to the area in over forty years. Multi-tier security was deployed across Doda and Kishtwar for Modi's visit.

The AAP leader's strong performance stands out amid an election dominated by the National Conference-Congress alliance, which leads over 50 of the former state's 90 Assembly seats. The BJP trails with 27 leads. Exit polls had predicted a slight edge for Congress-NC alliance with an aggregate indicating they would win 43 seats while BJP would get 26.

This election outcome could be pivotal for AAP as it prepares for upcoming elections elsewhere. The party's unexpected success here may influence its strategies moving forward amidst challenges like those faced in Haryana.