The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Friday named Mehraj Malik as its new State President for Jammu & Kashmir, signaling a strategic move to bolster its presence in the region ahead of upcoming elections. The announcement was made through an official party statement issued by AAP’s National General Secretary (Organisation), Sandeep Pathak.
In the statement, dated March 21, 2025, AAP also revealed a list of new office-bearers for various states and Union Territories. Pankaj Gupta and Ankush Narang were appointed as Prabhari and Sah Prabhari for Goa, respectively, while Deepak Singhla and Gopal Rai were named for the same roles in Gujarat. Punjab’s appointees include Manish Sisodia as Prabhari and Satyender Jain as Sah Prabhari. Sandeep Pathak will take on the additional responsibility of Prabhari for Chhattisgarh, alongside his existing duties. Saurabh Bhardwaj was named State President for Delhi.
The party emphasized that all Prabhari and Sah Prabhari appointees are expected to remain in their respective states full-time until the conclusion of elections.
Expressing gratitude for his new role, Malik thanked AAP’s leadership, including National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal, Sandeep Pathak, Delhi Minister Atishi, Manish Sisodia, and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh, for entrusting him with the responsibility. “I am deeply honored to serve as the State President of Jammu & Kashmir for AAP,” Malik said in a statement. “I will work tirelessly to strengthen the party and address the concerns of the people in the region.”
AAP legislator Atishi also took to social media platform X to congratulate Malik on his appointment. In a post on Friday, she wrote in Hindi, “@MehrajMalikAAP जी को जम्मू-कश्मीर के प्रदेश अध्यक्ष बनने पर बहुत बहुत बधाई!” which translates to “Heartiest congratulations to @MehrajMalikAAP ji on becoming the State President of Jammu & Kashmir!”
The appointment comes as AAP intensifies its efforts to expand its political footprint beyond its traditional strongholds of Delhi and Punjab. Jammu & Kashmir, a Union Territory with a complex political landscape, has seen increased activity from national parties since the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019. Political analysts view AAP’s move as an attempt to capitalize on local discontent and present itself as an alternative to established parties in the region.
AAP, founded in 2012, has positioned itself as a party focused on governance, education, and healthcare reforms. Its success in Delhi and Punjab has emboldened the party to contest elections in other states, though it has faced challenges in gaining traction in regions like Jammu & Kashmir.
The party’s official statement was issued from its headquarters at 1, Pandit Ravi Shankar Shukla Lane, New Delhi. AAP’s election symbol, the broom, reflects its commitment to “cleaning up” politics, a message it hopes will resonate with voters in Jammu & Kashmir as elections approach.
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Raja Shakeel is a journalist associated with The Chenab Times. Read More.
