Delimitation of the constituencies has added some areas namely Nancharu, Nalkur, 34 Kudi, Pejamanguru, Nilawara, Aruru, Matapadi, Handadi, Kumragodu, Waramballi, Chantharu, 52 Heruru, Cherkadi, Haluvalli, Hosaru, 38 Kalthuru, Kenjuru, Havanje, Uppuru, Baikadi, Haradi, Paduthonse and Moduthonse.

Deleted areas are Bommarabettu, Anjaru, Athradi, 80 Badagubettu, Heerebettu Kudi (82), Pernankilla, Marne, Manipur, Alevoor, Korangrapadi and Udyavar.

BJP has announced last poll winner Raghupathy Bhat as its candidate in the constituency ensuring its entry with a positive note. As 23 areas of erstwhile Brahmavar constituency have been included in Udupi constituency, the candidates familiar in Udupi will have to work hard in the newly included areas.

Meanwhile, the Congress has continued with the suspense as to whom it would dare to gamble into the poll war field. However, Mr U R Sabhapathi’s decision not to contest makes it evident that Mr Pramodh Madhwaraj will be the candidate. At the outset, it appears that the BJP and the Congress will be the main contenders.
On the other hand, JD(S) which aspires to be the decisive factor in the post poll scenario is carefully making moves and is yet to field its candidate. Mattar Ratnakar Hegde, Louis Lobo, Geethanjali Suvarna, Dakhshath Shetty being some of the aspirants.

SP and some independent candidates are likely to contest the polls.

Voters

The constituency comprises of 1,57,559 voters with the additions in its newly sketched frontier.

Speaking to Deccan Herald, former MLA and BJP candidate Raghupathy Bhat expressed his confidence to score a decisive victory with maximum margin. He said: “as I have done lot many developmental works in Udupi, I am confident of winning and when it comes to those added 56,000 voters from former Brahmavar constituency, I have done door-to-door campaigning in the area since two months, I don’t find any negative factor of loosing.”
He also informed that a strong anti-Congress wave prevailing among those voters who were once upon a time the supporters of Jayaprakash Hegde now are shifting their loyalty to BJP.

During 2004 Assembly elections, Mr Raghupathy Bhat had polled 36,341 votes out of 93,098 votes. Congress secured 34,808 votes resulting in the difference of winning margin by 1,533 votes.

Mr Bhat said that the major drawback for the Congress party is that the delay in announcing the candidate and this can prove still more advantageous for BJP. However Congress District President M A Gafoor was not available for the comments

Speaking to Deccan Herald, JD(S) District President Deviprasad Shetty said: “We are hopeful of winning as the constituency has already undergone the rule by both BJP and Congress which showered a non developmental period on the public. People are aspiring for a change and it can only be provided by JD(S).” He also said that youth in the constituency are in favour of JD(S) and it was only Kumaraswami led Government implemented some developmental programmes in the constituency.

As of now, the ticket holders and ticket aspirants are busy in wooing the voters and wooing the leaders respectively. With less than a month remaining for the polls, it is left to the parties and their strategies as voters too have become more smart than ever.