(MENAFN- Kashmir Observer) Jammu- The Aam Aadmi Party registered its first victory in assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday when its candidate Mehraj Malik defeated his nearest rival from the BJP in Doda constituency by a margin of over 4,538 votes.
Malik, a District Development Council (DDC) member, polled 23,228 votes against BJP's Gajay Singh Rana's 18,690 votes.
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National conference leader and former Minister Khalid Najib Suharwardy and DPAP leader Abdul Majid Wani got 13,334 and 10,027 votes, respectively. congress candidate sheikh Riaz Ahmad was pushed to the fifth place having secured 4,170 votes.
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Malik unsuccessfully contested Lok Sabha elections from Udhampur constituency early this year.
AAP had fielded seven candidates out of 90 assembly segments.
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The party, which is in power in Delhi and Punjab, was granted national party status in September last year. It also has MLAs in Gujarat and Goa.
Grand victory in Doda against BJP: AAP convener Kejriwal congratulates party
AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday congratulated the party for the victory in Jammu and Kashmir's Doda Assembly seat and opening its account in a fifth state.
AAP candidate Mehraj Malik, a District Development Council (DDC) member, polled 23,228 votes against BJP's Gajay Singh Rana's 18,690 votes in Doda assembly constituency.
“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.
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), which is ruling Punjab and Delhi, also has MLAs in Gujarat and Goa.
Senior party leader and Delhi Chief Minister Atishi asserted that Arvind Kejriwal's“revolution” has reached Jammu and Kashmir with the“fantastic win” of Malik.
The AAP contested seven seats out of 90 in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly polls.
The party leaders and workers celebrated the Doda win at the AAP headquarters near Mandi House, distributing sweets and dancing to drum beats.
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