HASSAN: The ‘cold war’ between BJP candidate for the Hassan Assembly seat, Preetham Gowda and party leader Agile Yogesh, which has been going on for some time, has led to a piquant situation where Yogesh is campaigning in the constituency without displaying the photo of the party nominee Preetham in the pamphlets printed by him!
Agile Yogesh was an aspirant for the BJP ticket for Hassan but the party chose Preetham Gowda to contest in the Janata Dal(S) stronghold. Yogesh told Deccan Chronicle on Wednesday that he is seeking votes for the party and not for the party nominee Preetham. Yogesh accused Preetham of not taking party leaders into confidence while conducting his campaign which he said, was the reason for him not printing the photograph of the candidate in his pamphlets.
However, when contacted, Preetham denied differences with Yogesh adding, "I had myself taken state president B.S. Yeddyurappa to the house of Yogesh recently." Aware of the cold war between the two, Mr Yeddyurappa is said to have brought about an truce while assuring Yogesh a better role in the party in future.
The developments have however not gone down well with party workers who fear the differences might cost them a seat in Hassan. The last time the BJP won the Hassan seat was in 1999 and since then, it has been represented by JD(S) MLA H.S. Prakash three times.
