Kejriwal in Doda: Told Abdullah to seek his advice if needed

Arvind Kejriwal, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) convenor, addressed a gathering in Doda, Jammu and Kashmir, on October 13, 2024, following the recent Assembly elections. During his speech, Kejriwal congratulated National Conference’s Omar Abdullah for his impending role as Chief Minister under the INDIA alliance. He offered his support, emphasizing that AAP will assist in ensuring smooth governance.

Kejriwal likened Jammu and Kashmir’s status to that of Delhi, calling both “half-states” due to limited powers vested in the elected governments compared to the authority held by the Lieutenant Governor. Drawing from his experience in navigating Delhi’s governance challenges, Kejriwal told Abdullah to seek his advice if needed. He also expressed hopes that Mehraj Malik, AAP’s newly elected MLA from Doda, would play an important role in the coalition government to serve the region effectively.

Kejriwal’s comments reflect his ongoing critique of the BJP-led central government, which he argues has restricted local governance through increased control via the Lieutenant Governor’s ofice.