In BJP’s bastion Hoshiarpur, Yamini Gomar’s poll campaign fails to gather steam

Deepkamal Kaur

Jalandhar, April 30

Unlike several high-profile candidates of the Congress —Amrinder Singh Raja Warring, Sukhpal Singh Khaira, Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa and Charanjit Singh Channi — the party’s Hoshiarpur nominee, Yamini Gomar, lags behind in terms of popularity and aggression.

it’s just beginning for me

I think it’s too early for anyone to judge my capabilities as it is just the beginning for me. I have been visiting one Assembly segment daily and addressing the party’s workers. Rallies will soon follow. Yamini Gomar, Hoshiarpur nominee

Fully support her

We have charted out programmes for Gomar and will support her fully. So far, all MLAs and halqa incharges have just held introductory rounds of her with the party workers in their respective segments. Balwinder Singh Dhaliwal, Cong phagwara MLA

Though Gomar is a good orator, she’s not a known face in Hoshiarpur constituency as compared to her rivals, which could dent prospects of the party.

Her popularity on social media is negligible as she hardly has any followers. A week after her candidature, she has just activated her Facebook, Instagram and X accounts.

Those close to her said Gomar would need a huge financial backing to create a wave in favour of the Congress in the Lok Sabha poll. At present, she’s the only breadwinner in the family as her husband suffers from partial paralysis.

Of nine Assembly segments falling in Hoshiarpur, Sukhpal Khaira’s Bholath and Balwinder Singh Dhaliwal’s Phagwara are held by the Congress. Dr Raj Kumar Chabbewal, who left the Congress, has been fielded by AAP from this constituency.

Since Khaira is also fighting in Sangrur, he would probably have little time to spare for his Hoshiarpur counterpart.

Amid talks that Gomar may even be replaced by the party if she fails to click with the electorate in the days to come, Dhaliwal fully endorsed her candidature.

“We have charted out programmes for Gomar and will support her fully. So far, all MLAs and halqa incharges have just held introductory rounds of her with the party workers in their respective segments. This is just the beginning of her campaign. We are confident that she will pick up,” he said.

“The party has a good base in Hoshiarpur. The biggest advantage for Gomar is that she is not carrying with her any baggage of corruption charges or accessibility issues unlike her rivals,” said Dhaliwal.

Gomar said, “I think it’s too early for anyone to judge my capabilities as it is just the beginning for me. I have been visiting one Assembly segment daily and addressing the party’s workers. Rallies will soon follow.”

Sitting Hoshiarpur MP Som Parkash’s wife Anita is the BJP candidate while SAD has fielded ex-minister Sohan Singh Thandal from this constituency.

Meanwhile, locals allege that the Congress leadership has deliberately fielded a less popular candidate as a part of a pact with another party.

However, the Congress leaders said despite being a completely new face, Gomar had polled 2.13 lakh votes in the 2014 Lok Sabha poll as the AAP candidate.