The Karnataka Cabinet has approved the renaming of Ramanagara district to Bengaluru South district, despite the district’s historical and political significance to former Chief Minister Kumaraswamy, who had played a key role in its development as a full-fledged district.
On June 9, all ministers and MLAs from the Bengaluru district area presented a petition to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah advocating for the renaming of Ramanagara district to Bengaluru South district. They also requested that the taluks of Ramanagara, Channapatna, Magadi, Kanakapura, and Harohalli remain unchanged and proposed that the new district’s administrative center be located in Bengaluru South.
Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar and other district leaders have been prominent supporters of this renaming initiative. They have collectively urged Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to approve the change, highlighting the significance of renaming Ramanagara district while suggesting that Ramanagara be designated as the district headquarters.
Historically, the taluks of Doddaballapur, Nelamangala, Yelahanka, Devanahalli, Anekal, Bengaluru South, Bengaluru East, Hoskote, Ramanagara, Magadi, Kanakapura, and Channapatna were part of a larger Bengaluru district. In 1986, a restructuring led to the creation of the Bengaluru Rural district, which included the taluks of Doddaballapur, Nelamangala, Devanahalli, Hoskote, Channapatna, Ramanagara, Magadi, and Kanakapura.