Former AAP Contestant Yamini Gomar, Congress's Hoshiarpur Candidate (Photo on Facebook Yamini Gomar)Former Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Yamini Gomar marks her second Lok Sabha contest as Congress fields her from Hoshiarpur constituency for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Yamini Gomar first contested the general election unsuccessfully on the AAP ticket in the 2014 general elections. Despite having a relatively new party, she managed to garner 2.13 lakh votes, securing third place in her debut. The Congress candidate would face the BJP’s Anita Som Parkash, wife of sitting BJP MP Som Parkash from the seat.
Yamini Gomar left the Arvind Kejriwal-led party in 2016 while serving as a member of the party‘s national executive. Though she joined the Congress party soon after her stint in the AAP, Yamini Gomar was not actively engaged in the political area for the past seven years. A commerce graduate from Delhi University, the former AAP leader was busy with her educational institute, the British School House Of Learning.
After the potential nominee of the Congress Raj Kumar Chabbewal joined the AAP, the Congress has been searching for fitting candidates for the seat. Among a few other names, the party picked the former AAP leader. After announcing her ticket, Yamini Gomar said that by giving its ticket to a simple, family-oriented woman like her, Congress has set a new precedent. She further stated that she would strive hard and prove the party correct in its choice. Dr Raj Kumar Chabbewal, who left the Congress, has been fielded by AAP from this constituency.
The BJP has been consecutively representing the Hoshiarpur seat since 2014 after it captured the seat from Congress. The grand old party has a good vote base in the constituency which the Yamini Gomar is banking on. At present, out of the nine Assembly segments falling in Hoshiarpur, Sukhpal Khaira’s Bholath and Balwinder Singh Dhaliwal’s Phagwara are held by the Congress.
Though she is a good orator, she is not a familiar face for the voters, which has been reportedly reflected in her campaigning too. However, the party has decided to bolster the election rallies and programs. The Congress hopes that the former AAP contestant can woo voters as she secured 2.13 lakh votes despite having a new face in the 2014 general elections.