Ugrappa  

Former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda, former chief minister Veerappa Moily, 10-time MLA and 2-time MP Mallikajuna Kharge, 7-time MLA KH Muniyappa and Ballari by-election hero VS Ugrappa tasted defeat in the hands of BJP opponents this Lok Sabha election in Karnataka
 

MP and Ballari Lok Sabha Congress candidate Ugrappa chose not to vote in the first phase of Karnataka polls on Thursday. The reasons being cited are that he was busy campaigning in the region. But the irony is that he always talks about democracy and the Constitution but fails to practice what he preaches

 

When Sriramulu was a BJP MP, he was seen wishing people of Ballari in Karnataka during Tipu Jayanti. He changed his stand subsequently. He took no clear position on the Lingayat issue. Besides MLA Sriramulu's ideological confusion, the party's Ballari candidate J Shantha might have lost the by-election also because some party leaders in other parts of Karnataka were equally listless.
 

VS Ugrappa said, 'I will shift to Ballari permanently and make visits to Bengaluru often. Since the people of Ballari have blessed me, it is my duty to be with them and listen to their problems and solve those problems'

Taking a selfie or photo while casting vote and publishing it amounts to violation of rules set by the Election Commission and the person also can land into jail for three months. 
 

Karnataka by-election: Pink booth in Ballari saw a long queue of men and women waiting to cast their votes.
 

Ugrappa, the Congress candidate, is being supported and campaigned for in the district by senior Congress leaders, including DK Shivakumar, Krishna Byre Gowda, Priyank Kharge and former chief minister Siddaramaiah.