Aurangabad renamed to Sambhaji Nagar post Maharashtra state cabinet meeting

New Delhi: The Maharashtra state cabinet has approved the renaming of city of Aurangabad to Sambhaji Nagar. It has also approved the renaming of Osmanabad to Dharashiv as per an ANI report. Navi Mumbai airport was also renamed as DB Patil International Airport. In addition, during the meeting, Congress ministers demanded that Pune City be renamed Jijau Nagar. The decision to rename the city came amid as the MVA coalition faces a floor test tomorrow ordered by the Mahrashtra governor. 

The cabinet meeting chaired by the beleaguered Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray also approved the naming of upcoming Navi Mumbai international airport after farmer leader late D B Patil.

Interestingly, state planning agency CIDCO had earlier proposed to name the Navi Mumbai airport after late Balasaheb Thackeray, the founder of the Shiv Sena. After the Shiv Sena broke off its alliance with the BJP and joined hands with the Congress and NCP to form MVA government, the BJP had often reminded the Sena of its own old demand to rename Aurangabad, which derived its name from Mughal emperor Aurangzeb.

The Congress, which is a junior partner in the MVA government, demanded in the cabinet meeting that Pune city be named as Jijau Nagar, after Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj's mother, and Mumbai Trans Harbour link between Sewree and Nhava Sheva in Navi Mumbai be named for former chief minister late A R Antulay. But these demands were apparently not considered. Congress had backed the demand to name Navi Mumbai Airport after D B Patil.

(With PTI inputs)

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