Renaming Ramanagara To 'Bengaluru South' Back On The Table

The proposal to rename Ramanagara district as 'Bengaluru South' has regained momentum. On Tuesday, a delegation led by Deputy CM DK Shivakumar met with CM Siddaramaiah to formally seek the creation of a new district comprising five taluks surrounding Bengaluru, with Ramanagara as its headquarters.

This proposal has gained significance ahead of the Channapatna assembly bypoll but is expected to stir controversy. The decision to create Ramanagara district was originally made by HD Kumaraswamy, who was elected to the Lok Sabha, necessitating the by-election in Channapatna.

Kumaraswamy had previously threatened to go on a fast-unto-death when Shivakumar first proposed the renaming last year.

The move is perceived as an attempt to reduce Kumaraswamy's influence over the district since he now represents Mandya in the Lower House of Parliament. The former CM had earlier represented Ramanagara and Channapatna assembly segments and was also an MP from the region.

Renaming the district is expected to increase real estate prices, benefiting politicians who own large tracts of land, and marginal farmers looking to sell, as soil quality and insufficient rainfall are no longer conducive to agricultural activity.