AAP eyes Kashmir debut, to contest Budgam seat vacated by CM

SRINAGAR: Emboldened by its maiden victory in J&K assembly polls from Doda in Jammu region in Oct last year, AAP has set eyes on the Kashmir valley, announcing to contest Budgam assembly bypoll , necessitated after CM Omar Abdullah vacated the seat to retain Ganderbal.

AAP J&K chief and Doda MLA, Mehraj Malik, who often sides with Abdullahs’ National Conference on various issues, said, “Our party will contest the seat to win it.”

National Conference has not yet picked its candidate for the bypoll. Party’s MP from Srinagar, Aga Ruhullah Mehdi, has urged Omar to choose a local to fight the by-election. “There is a desire in Budgam that a local should contest the constituency on the party ticket,” Mehdi told a press conference on Sunday.