This Karnataka District to Be Renamed Bengaluru South

Bengaluru:

The Karnataka government has decided to rename Ramanagara district as Bengaluru South. This decision was made during a Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.

Located about 50 km from Bengaluru, the district comprises the taluks of Ramanagara, Magadi, Kanakapura, Channapatna, and Harohalli.

The proposal gained momentum when Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar submitted a memorandum to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, advocating for the name change. Mr. Shivakumar, who serves as the Minister in charge of Ramanagara and the Bengaluru City Development Minister, led the initiative.

“Leaders from Ramanagara district, under DK Shivakumar’s leadership, expressed that the people of the region have always considered themselves part of Bengaluru and thus the district should be renamed Bengaluru South. I mentioned that this matter needs Cabinet approval and will be presented accordingly,” said Mr. Siddaramaiah.

Ramanagara is Mr. Shivakumar’s home district. He initially proposed the renaming in October last year.

This move has faced criticism from former JD(S) leader and Union Minister HD Kumaraswamy, who alleged that the renaming aims to exploit real estate opportunities in Ramanagara.

Mr. Kumaraswamy has vowed to reverse the renaming if he returns to power. He was the Chief Minister of the JD(S)-BJP coalition when Ramanagara district was established in August 2007.

Responding to Mr. Kumaraswamy’s comments, Siddaramaiah said, “They won’t come to power, so his talk of reversing it is just an illusion.”

Previously, Mr. Kumaraswamy had threatened to go on a hunger strike against the government’s plan to rename the district.

Ramanagara district is a significant political base for Mr. Kumaraswamy, who has represented both the Ramanagara and Channapatna Assembly segments and served as an MP from the area.

The renaming proposal has gained additional importance ahead of the Channapatna Assembly bypolls, which were necessitated by Kumaraswamy’s election to the Lok Sabha from Mandya. The bypoll date is yet to be announced.