Ahmednagar in Maharashtra to be renamed as Ahilyanagar, announces CM Eknath Shinde

Maharashtra's Ahmednagar will be renamed as Ahilyanagar, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde announced on Wednesday. This comes soon after Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said he would urge the Chief Minister to change the name of Ahmednagar city to ‘Ahilyanagar’.

Fadnavis, Shinde, and many state ministers were present in Ahmednagar to attend an event on the death anniversary of Ahilyabai Holkar, the Holkar Queen of the Maratha Malwa kingdom who is known for building temples and 'dharamashalas' (public rest houses), throughout India.

"If Rajamata Ahilyadevi Holkar weren't there, Kashi wouldn’t have remained. If she wasn’t there, we wouldn’t have temples of Lord Shiva. That’s why people want Ahmednagar renamed Ahilyanagar. I am also going to request CM Eknath Shinde about the same," he said.

Fadnavis called the ruling alliance of BJP and Shinde-led Shiv Sena a "Hindutva" government. "We are the people who chant the name of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. We have created Sambhajinagar under your (Shinde’s) leadership, and we have created Dharashiv. I believe the chief minister is ‘mawala’ (soldier) of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and thus Nagar (Ahmednagar) will be renamed Ahilyanagar."

In February, the Centre approved a proposal by the Maharashtra government to change the names of Aurangabad and Osmanabad cities to Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and Dharashiv respectively.

(With inputs from PTI)