AAP extends support to National Conference, Arvind Kejriwal to visit Doda on Sunday

The National Conference got a shot in the arm when Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) officially announced its support for the party on Friday.

The AAP has submitted a formal letter of support for the National Conference to the lieutenant governor’s office.

“Mehraj Malik, the newly elected MLA from Doda assembly constituency, with the consent of the party leadership, has submitted the letter of support to the LG’s office,” confirmed a close aide of Malik over phone.

Amid Modi wave, Malik had defeated BJP’s Gajay Singh Rana by a margin of 4,538 votes. Overall, the AAP managed to receive just 0.52% of the total vote share in Jammu and Kashmir.

AAP president and former Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal would be addressing a rally in Doda on Sunday.

“I express my gratitude to the people of Doda for electing my younger brother Mehraj. He is a very humble human being. Though I intended to come to Doda on October 10 but since model code of conduct was not lifted I had to return from the airport. This Sunday, I along with Punjab CM Bhagwant Singh Mann will be there in Doda,” he said in a video message posted on ‘X’.

On Thursday, the NC achieved a majority in the Jammu and Kashmir legislative assembly after four independent MLAs, all from Jammu region, extended support to the party.

They were, Dr Rameshwar Singh from Bani in Kathua district, Choudhary Mohammed Akram from Surankote in Poonch district, Satish Sharma from Chhamb in Jammu district and Pyare Lal Sharma from Inderwal in Kishtwar district.

NC won 42 seats in the Jammu and Kashmir assembly elections, whereas its partner Congress got six seats.

Party’s vice president Omar Abdullah was elected as the leader of the JKNC legislative party on Thursday, thereby paving way for him to be the next chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir.