Focus on drinking water, health, infrastructure: Ugrappa

Newly elected Congress MP from Karnataka's Ballari, V S Ugrappa Friday said he would focus on drinking water, health and infrastructure in the remaining five months of his tenure.

Ugrappa won the Ballari seat in the recent Lok Sabha by-polls by a margin of more than 2.43 lakh votes, defeating BJP's J Shantha, sister of B Sriramulu, a key aide of the controversial mining barons-- the Reddy brothers and former MP from there.

He will take oath as the Member of Parliament (MP)during the winter session of the House.

"There has not been any development in Ballari and there are many problems like farmers distress, poverty, unemployment among others. I will not say that I will bring big reforms in the next five months. I will at least focus on priority issues," the Congress leader told reporters here.

The priority areas could be providing safe drinking water, health, better roads besides ensuring procurement of paddy, he said.

Ugrappa, the close aide of former chief minister Siddaramaiah, also indicated that he might get the ticket to contest in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections from the same constituency, considering his victory in the by-poll with a huge margin.

The by-poll results will have an impact on the upcoming general elections, he said, adding the mood of the people in the southern state was in favour of the ruling Congress-JD(S) alliance.

The Ballari constituency, which had remained a BJP stronghold since 2004, is reserved for candidates belonging to the Scheduled Tribes. It is one of the 28 Lok Sabha constituencies in the state.

(With inputs from agencies.)