UDUPI, May 15: Udupi is no Chettinad. Neither its well-known cuisine nor the less-known politics has the kind of spice the Tamil Country has. Yet one hadn’t bargained for such a bland fare. Hardly any posters or banners, no vehicles with blaring megaphones, candidates on the move—forget a motorcade—with not a second car in tow. The only thing EC hasn’t enforced is a car pool. This time it is the Maximum Election Commission at work here.

In this temple town, Gopalswamy’s men are feared next only to God. “Are you actually from the press or the EC?” ask BJP men who are waiting for their candidate at the gate of a food processing unit in Brahmavaram. “Please show your identity card.” In lieu of which, I show them the sketch book and they are relieved. They haven’t seen a doodling election observer yet.

Candidate Raghupathi Bhat has to defend his seat. No incumbency issue, he says. He has done plenty of “Development”. Then what is the issue? Last year there was a communal flare up in the neighbourhood... “In Mangalore. Udupi was quiet.” He quickly cuts in. Let Continent Udupi remain so. This son of a driver to the pontiff of a local mutt had no political advantages to start with, unlike his rival, a second generation politico. Raghupathi stabilised himself running a finance company before making a rather sudden appearance in BJP circles to quickly rise as MLC and then MLA. He is confident he’ll trounce his Congress rival, a class fellow in school.

Besides a classmate for opponent, Pramod Madhwaraj has other links across the board. Hailing from the fishermen community Mugaveera, he is the scion of a known business family, long time in politics. Again, of a certain range. Pramod has been a willing sponsor of events public and private—from cricket matches to wedding ceremonies. Ever since his Youth Congress days he has made friends across party lines. And at 39, a Youth Congressman is very much a youth and friends remain. If such personal networking isn’t enough, there is familial reach too. Mother Manorama Madhwaraj, a many-time Congress legislator, is the sitting MP of Udupi representing BJP. Madhwaraj rhymes with Madhavrao and you are reminded of the Scindias. No, Manorama isn’t doing a Rajmata against the son. She hasn’t been sighted in the vicinity.

One obvious issue that concerns neither candidate is the possibilities of this temple town itself. Why isn’t Udupi with its legendary 800-year old Krishna shrine a major pilgrim centre? Locals have the answer. Eight mutts run the temple by rotation. Each has a prescribed two year tenure. Every time power shifts the entire administration changes, down to the last attendant and usher. No scope to put any plan in place. Sounds familiar?