Congress MLA Seeks Creation of Separate North Karnataka State Over Alleged Regional Discrimination

Karnataka Congress MLA Bharamgouda (Raju) Kage has reignited the long-standing demand for a separate North Karnataka state, saying the region has been “consistently neglected” since the state’s unification.

In a letter addressed to President Droupadi Murmu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Karnataka Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot, and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Kage urged that the government take steps toward forming a new state for “administrative convenience and balanced development.”

The Gokak MLA wrote, “North Karnataka has suffered injustice and discrimination in every sector — from infrastructure and education to employment and irrigation. The creation of a separate state will help unlock the region’s full potential.”

Kage’s proposal envisions a new state comprising 15 districts — Bidar, Kalaburagi, Vijayapura, Yadgir, Bagalkote, Belagavi, Dharwad, Gadag, Koppal, Raichur, Uttara Kannada, Haveri, Vijayanagara, Ballari, and Davanagere.

He expressed support for the North Karnataka Struggle Committee’s ongoing signature campaign, claiming that over one crore people have already endorsed the idea. The legislator added that memorandums were previously submitted to the President and the Prime Minister’s Office in January this year, but “no concrete steps” have followed.

Kage said he plans to raise the issue during the December Assembly session, stressing that he is prepared to “lead the movement if required.” He added that the demand is not meant to divide Kannada identity but to “create another proud Kannada-speaking state that can grow on its own terms.”

The letter, dated November 4 and made public by Kage’s office this week, has stirred fresh debate within state political circles — reviving a demand that has periodically surfaced in North Karnataka politics, especially over alleged inequality in resource allocation and development.