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The proposal to rename the district consisting of Ramanagara, Magadi, Kanakapura, Channapatna and Harohalli taluks had gained steam recently with a Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar-led delegation meeting the Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and submitting him a memorandum to raise the pitch.
“We have decided to rename Ramanagara district as Bengaluru South….It is being done keeping in mind ‘Brand Bengaluru’ and based on the demand of the people there. The Revenue Department will start the process,” Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister H K Patil said.
Briefing reporters after the Cabinet meeting, chaired by the Chief Minister, he said: “Only the name of the district will change, remaining all names (of taluks) will remain the same.”
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“People of Ramanagara want to come under Brand Bengaluru. It is the opinion of people, people of the district and certain prominent personalities of the district that they want Brand Bengaluru,” he said in response to a question.
Ramanagara is the home district of Shivakumar, who is also the state Congress chief. He represents Kanakapura Assembly segment in the district, and had first mooted the proposal in October last year.
Union Minister and JD(S) leader H D Kumaraswamy was the Chief Minister of the JD(S)-BJP coalition, when Ramanagara district was carved out in August 2007.
Taking a dig at the proposal, Kumaraswamy had recently said that he would reverse the plan, if implemented, in the event of him becoming Chief Minister again.
Kumaraswamy, a former Chief Minister, had also alleged that the motive behind the proposal was to exploit real estate opportunities there.
He had earlier threatened to go on a fast-unto-death if the Karnataka government decides to go-ahead with the proposal to rename the district.
Ramanagara district is the political turf of Kumaraswamy as he has represented Ramanagara and Channapatna Assembly segments, and also had been an MP from the region.
The renaming of the district has gained significance ahead of Channapatna Assembly bypolls — the date for which is yet to be announced — necessitated following Kumaraswamy’s election to Lok Sabha from Mandya.
Asked whether the decision was taken, keeping the election in mind, Patil said: “it was not done with election in mind, it was based on demand from people and public representatives there.”
On whether the renaming was done “keeping real estate in mind,” he said: “if asset’s value goes up it is beneficial for the dwellers there…this proves our decision is right and is favourable to people in Ramanagra district; we will be satisfying public emotion also.”