Kundapura (Karnataka), May 15 : An interesting electoral battle awaits Kundapura constituency in poll-bound Karnataka where Jayaprakash Hegde, a former minister, after losing his safe constituency under recent delimitation is wooing voters on his previous performance elsewhere.

Hegde, a three-time winner (first term on Janata Dal ticket and remaining two successive terms as an independent) is contesting from Kundapura constituency as a Congress candidate after his winning battlefield Bramhavar constituency was merged with parts of Udupi and Kundapura.

Hegde has been frantically making pledges of developing his new constituency, but voters are skeptical.

"They might have done small things here and there, but there is no road connecting this region to nearby villages. The Governments come and go, promise facilities and then when their term is over, the promises are gone. I have been seen this for the past 47 years now," said Ramesh, a resident.

Acknowledging that Kundapura is underdeveloped, Hegde claims that voters in this constituency are comparing the development in his previous constituency with theirs and are looking for a person who is going to take care of the constituency.

"Interior parts are not developed, no proper roads, no electrification, no telephone connections, that's the reason people are looking for a person who is going to take care of the constituency. They are comparing between the two constituencies. Brahmavar is the neighbouring constituency, they are comparing between Brahmavar and Kundapura," said Hegde.

Of the 224 assembly segments in the State, Kundapura along with 65 other constituencies will go to polls in the second phase on May 16 and the remaining 69 in the third phase on May 22. (ANI)