As Election Commission of India showed Mehraj Malik of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leading in the last round of the counting with over 4000 votes, convenor Arvind Kejriwal claimed victory and congratulated the party for the victory in Jammu and Kashmir. This is the fifth state AAP is getting an MLA after Delhi, Goa, Punjab and Gujarat.

Mehraj Malik has bagged 22,944 votes with a lead of 4,770 with Gajay Singh Rana of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) trailing in the second place.

“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 for an MLA in the fifth state,” Kejriwal said.

Among the five states AAP opened its account in Legislative Assembly elections, the party is currently is in power in Delhi and Punjab.

The counting of votes for the Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir – its first in a decade – is underway and the NC-Congress’ INDIA alliance is leading and poised to make a government in the Union Territory. This is also the first election held after the abrogation of Article 370 and as a Union Territory.

The 90 assembly constituencies voted in three phases – September 18, September 25, and October 1. The major political parties in the fray include National Conference (NC)-Congress alliance, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the BJP.

The first phase of the Assembly polls recorded a voter turnout of about 61%, and the second phase witnessed a turnout of 57%. The third and final phase of the polls saw a voter turnout of over 69.65%.