Meet AAP’s maiden winner in J&K polls: Mehraj Malik – Doda grassroots worker to key Jammu face

The AAP apical brass celebrated Malik’s triumph successful Delhi, with enactment main Arvind Kejriwal hailing it arsenic a “grand triumph against the BJP”. Praising Malik for “fighting the predetermination precise well”, Kejriwal besides congratulated “the full enactment for having an MLA successful the 5th state” now.

On Thursday, Kejriwal would besides sojourn Doda to clasp a “thank you rally” with Malik.

This is nevertheless not the archetypal electoral occurrence for Malik, the 36-year-old post-graduate from Jammu University. In 2020, helium had won the Doda District Development Council (DDC) predetermination from the Kahara constituency, becoming the archetypal elected nationalist typical of the AAP successful J&K.

Although helium had past contested the DDC predetermination arsenic an Independent, Kejriwal had congratulated him past too.

Malik joined the AAP successful 2013 and soon started making ripples arsenic the enactment activistic by taking up the issues of section people, specified arsenic drinking water, electricity, aesculapian facilities, acquisition infrastructure and absenteeism successful the authorities offices. The AAP enactment appointed him arsenic the co-chairman of the authorities enactment coordination committee successful 2022.

Malik archetypal came to the limelight successful March 2022 erstwhile helium led a monolithic rally from Kahara to Doda municipality connected assorted nationalist issues arsenic a amusement of his party’s spot successful the belt.

Several section residents accidental that successful the aftermath of abrogation of Article 370 granting peculiar presumption to J&K, erstwhile galore Jammu leaders had chosen to confine themselves to their homes, Malik utilized to instrumentality to the streets to rise people’s problems.

Last year, Malik led a objection against the eviction thrust initiated by the authorities successful Jammu’s Bhatindi area. He on with his supporters was held by the police, but released later.

Malik besides contested the 2024 Lok Sabha elections successful the Udhampur constituency arsenic an Independent, but finished fourth. Union curate Jitendra Singh retained the spot by defeating the Congress’s Chaudhary Lal Singh.

According to his affidavit successful the information papers for the Assembly polls, submitted to the Election Commission (EC), Malik has astir fractional a twelve FIRs registered against him regarding offences including transgression intimidation, location trespass and promoting enmity betwixt antithetic groups. All these cases were filed against him successful the Gandoh constabulary presumption from 2021 to 2024.

Malik does not person immoderate immovable spot including vehicles, arsenic per his declaration. He lone has moveable assets worthy Rs 29,070. This includes Rs 20,000 currency successful manus and Rs 70 successful his redeeming relationship with the J&K Bank. He had availed a indebtedness of Rs 2 lakh from this bank, which was outstanding against him.

The AAP had fielded its candidates successful 7 Assembly seats retired of J&K’s 90 seats. The party, which has been successful powerfulness successful Delhi and Punjab, was granted the “national party” presumption by the EC successful September past year. It has MLAs successful Gujarat and Goa, too.