Bengaluru: Janata Dal Secular leader and former Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy carved out Ramnagar district from Bengaluru Rural district in 2007 for administrative reasons, now, the district is set to undergo a change in its name from Ramnagar to Bengaluru South and the change in name is backed by Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar who belongs to Kanakapura taluk in Ramnagar.
To rename Ramnagar, gathering public opinion to rename it has gathered momentum after D.K. Shivakumar disclosed the move to rename the district. Ramnagar taluk would continue to be the district headquarter in the proposed renaming. Shivakumar said that public opinion favours renaming the district as Bengaluru South and he too is thinking on the same lines.
Political leaders of Ramnagar observed that the proposal to rename Ramnagar district by Shivakumar might be to prove a point to Kumaraswamy who carved out the district and gain political upperhand in Ramnagar since both the leaders belong to Ramnagar district.
In the 1999 election, JDS nominee H.D. Kumaraswamy was defeated by Congress nominee D.K. Shivakumar in erstwhile Sathanur Assembly seat. In the incumbent Assembly, Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar represents Kanakapura Assembly seat in Ramnagar and Channapatna Assembly seat is represented by Janata Dal Secular leader and former Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy.
Magadi Assembly is won by Balakrishna of Congress and Ramnagar Assembly seat is represented Iqbal Hussain also belongs to the Congress party.
It may be recalled here that Ramnagar district was carved out of Bengaluru Rural district in 2007 during the term of H.D. Kumaraswamy as the Chief Minister. The Ramnagar district has Magadi, Kanakapura, Channapatna and Ramnagar taluks. Now, Harohalli has been made a new taluk in Ramnagar district.
By renaming the district, D.K. Shivakumar stated that Bengaluru city, about 50-km from Ramnagar, is known at the international level and its fame should also cover the taluks of Magadi, Channapatna, Kanakapura, Ramnagar and newly created Harohalli taluk as well.
Recalling, he said, Kanakapura, Magadi, Channapatna, Hosakote, Nelamangala, Devanahalli, Anekal, Yelahanka, Bengaluru South, Bengaluru East and Doddaballapur were part of Bengaluru and later on the taluks of Doddaballapura, Nelamangala, Devanahhali, Hosakote, Kanakapura, Channapatna, Ramnagar and Magadi came under Bengaluru Rural district.
Continuing on the formation of Ramnagar district, Shivakumar said, the taluks of Magadi, Kanakapura, Ramngar and Channapatna were separated from Bengaluru Rural district and Ramnagar came into existence.
However, there were mixed reactions to the proposal renaming Ramnagar on social networking sites.
