Three Bengaluru palikes to get new names

BENGALURU: Trifurcation could mean a lot more than slicing up Bengaluru - from Bruhat Bengaluru Mahangara Palike, the three corporations are set to get a new name each.
The names being mulled, quite predictably, are Dr BR Ambedkar Nagar corporation for east Bengaluru, Kempegowda Nagar corporation for central Bengaluru and Sangolli Rayanna Nagar corporation for west Bengaluru.
Sources told TOI that talks were on to rename the divided corporations after these prominent persons. "It's sad that the government wants to appease the communities associated with these names for vote bank politics. If you want to retain brand Bengaluru even after trifurcation, the city's name should not be changed. Has Delhi changed its name after the division? It's an international city and its name should not be changed. In the name of showering respect on these dignitaries, the city should not lose its brand," the source said.
R Ramalinga Reddy, Bengaluru in- charge minister, said talks were on only to name central Bengaluru as Kempegowda city corporation. "We have not proposed the names of Sangolli Rayanna or Dr BR Ambedkar. There is only a proposal to name central Bengaluru after the founder of the city. Opposition parties are spreading rumours," he said.
Asked if Bengaluru would be lost amid all this renaming, he said, "The word Bengaluru will be retained. We will either call it Kempegowda Bengaluru city corporation or Bengaluru Kempegowda city corporation. This is yet to be approved by the cabinet," Reddy added.