Bengaluru: Even as Chief Minister Siddharamaiah is brimming with confidence after the Nanjangud and Gundlupet by-polls victory, speculations about the CM’s plans to contest from Bagalakote (Bagalkot) or Koppal has caused concern among his followers.

Siddharamaiah, who was elected from Varuna constituency in his home district of Mysuru, is now said to be not totally sure of winning from Varuna in the 2018 Assembly polls. Also, Chamundeshwari constituency, which he represented earlier too is said to be unsafe for the CM. Hence speculations are going round that Siddharamaiah may move northwards to contest from Bagalkot or Koppal where Kuruba community voters, to which the CM belongs to, are in large numbers.

The CM has also taken note of the fact that the Opposition may target him if he shifts to another constituency fearing defeat in his home constituency. Siddharamaiah had contested from the Koppal Lok Sabha seat in 1989 and lost, which factor too may be in his mind.

Siddharamaiah, a seasoned politician that he is, may surely be wary of the consequences of changing constituencies, according to political pundits who recalled that S.M. Krishna drew flak from various quarters for choosing to contest from Chamarajpet constituency in Bengaluru in the 2004 elections, after ditching his home constituency of Maddur.

In this backdrop, it is to be seen whether Siddharamaiah will really move to North Karnataka or contest from Chamundeshwari in the South, while leaving the Varuna seat to his son Dr. Yathindra.