<p>Bengaluru: In a major decision, the state Cabinet on Thursday resolved to rename the Ramanagara district as Bengaluru South district with immediate effect.</p><p>Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar, whose native Kanakapura falls in the Ramanagara district, has been a vocal proponent of the name change. </p><p>Addressing the customary post-Cabinet briefing himself, Shivakumar said: "The Ramanagara district, which was earlier a part of Bengaluru, will be renamed as Bengaluru South. We will pass an order today itself. However, the headquarters will remain in Ramanagara itself."</p>.Siddaramaiah, DK Shivakumar face public ire during tour of Bengaluru's flood-hit areas.<p>A few months ago, the union government had disapproved the decision by not providing a no objection certificate (NOC) to rename the district. The Congress had dubbed the move "political," with Shivakumar taking indirect potshots at Union Heavy Industries and Steel Minister H D Kumaraswamy as being responsible for the Centre's move.</p><p>Clarifying that the move wouldn’t have any financial implication, the deputy chief minister, also the Bengaluru development minister, said: "Earlier, Bengaluru city, Bengaluru rural and (Ramanagara) were part of the Bengaluru district. Hoskote, Devanahalli, Doddaballapura, Channapatna, Magadi and Kanakapura were all part of the Bengaluru district. This region is developing and we are trying to retain that name."</p>.Parameshwara meets CM Siddaramaiah amid ED raids over gold smuggling case.<p><strong>Political angle</strong></p><p>With this move, Shivakumar has scored politically, as it has long been a bone of contention between him and his bete noire Kumaraswamy. </p><p>Incidentally, Ramanagara district was created during Kumaraswamy’s tenure as chief minister from 2006-07. Both Shivakumar and Kumaraswamy hail from the dominant, landowning Vokkaliga community and have been battling for one-upmanship in the Vokkaliga heartland (South Karnataka).</p><p>Re-emphasising that renaming was a state subject, the deputy chief minister said: "Centre has no powers. We just wanted to inform but there were political attempts. It’s our right. Earlier, we created Gadag, Chamarajanagar and other districts. In fact, there was no approval from the Centre when Ramanagara district was made. We have decided after considering all the legal points. All land records will be changed.”</p><p>Reacting to criticism from the JD(S) that changing the name wouldn’t automatically result in development, the deputy chief minister said: "Let them wait and watch."</p>
<p>Bengaluru: In a major decision, the state Cabinet on Thursday resolved to rename the Ramanagara district as Bengaluru South district with immediate effect.</p><p>Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar, whose native Kanakapura falls in the Ramanagara district, has been a vocal proponent of the name change. </p><p>Addressing the customary post-Cabinet briefing himself, Shivakumar said: "The Ramanagara district, which was earlier a part of Bengaluru, will be renamed as Bengaluru South. We will pass an order today itself. However, the headquarters will remain in Ramanagara itself."</p>.Siddaramaiah, DK Shivakumar face public ire during tour of Bengaluru's flood-hit areas.<p>A few months ago, the union government had disapproved the decision by not providing a no objection certificate (NOC) to rename the district. The Congress had dubbed the move "political," with Shivakumar taking indirect potshots at Union Heavy Industries and Steel Minister H D Kumaraswamy as being responsible for the Centre's move.</p><p>Clarifying that the move wouldn’t have any financial implication, the deputy chief minister, also the Bengaluru development minister, said: "Earlier, Bengaluru city, Bengaluru rural and (Ramanagara) were part of the Bengaluru district. Hoskote, Devanahalli, Doddaballapura, Channapatna, Magadi and Kanakapura were all part of the Bengaluru district. This region is developing and we are trying to retain that name."</p>.Parameshwara meets CM Siddaramaiah amid ED raids over gold smuggling case.<p><strong>Political angle</strong></p><p>With this move, Shivakumar has scored politically, as it has long been a bone of contention between him and his bete noire Kumaraswamy. </p><p>Incidentally, Ramanagara district was created during Kumaraswamy’s tenure as chief minister from 2006-07. Both Shivakumar and Kumaraswamy hail from the dominant, landowning Vokkaliga community and have been battling for one-upmanship in the Vokkaliga heartland (South Karnataka).</p><p>Re-emphasising that renaming was a state subject, the deputy chief minister said: "Centre has no powers. We just wanted to inform but there were political attempts. It’s our right. Earlier, we created Gadag, Chamarajanagar and other districts. In fact, there was no approval from the Centre when Ramanagara district was made. We have decided after considering all the legal points. All land records will be changed.”</p><p>Reacting to criticism from the JD(S) that changing the name wouldn’t automatically result in development, the deputy chief minister said: "Let them wait and watch."</p>