November 13, 2025

Bengaluru: Kagawad MLA Bharamagouda (Raju) Kage has reignited calls for separate statehood for North Karnataka, citing persistent administrative neglect and regional disparities.

In a letter dated November 4 to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Kage proposed that the districts of Bidar, Kalaburagi, Vijayapura, Bagalkot, Belagavi, Dharwad, Gadag, Koppal, Raichur, Uttara Kannada, Haveri, Vijayanagar, and Ballari be carved out to form a new state.

Kage, who also serves as chairman of the North Western Karnataka Road Transport Corporation (NWKRTC), emphasized the region’s rich resources and its historical contributions to Kannada language and Karnataka’s unification. He argued that separate statehood is necessary for “comprehensive development” and to address what he termed a “stepmotherly” treatment by the government.

The MLA cited a signature campaign by the Uttara Karnataka Horata Samiti, claiming over 10 million signatures in support of the demand. Memoranda have already been submitted to the President, Vice President, Prime Minister, and Governor of Karnataka. Kage urged the chief minister to recommend the proposal to the Union government.

Frustrated with perceived government inaction, Kage highlighted delays in flood compensation for farmers and criticized the legislative session as a “two-week excursion” with unresolved demands. He announced he would forgo his government allowances as a protest against ineffective governance.

Kage also drew comparisons with other large states, noting that Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra have been suggested for division due to population, and argued that Karnataka’s 6.5 crore population justifies a similar split.

Regional groups, including the Uttara Karnataka Horata Samiti and Uttara Karnataka Vikas Vedike, have warned they may hoist the flag of a separate North Karnataka at the Suvarna Vidhana Soudha if their demands are not addressed in the upcoming winter session.

The debate over regional imbalance in Karnataka is longstanding. The late Umesh Katti, former Belagavi minister, had also voiced support for statehood, arguing that Karnataka’s size and population warranted division. Kage, a nine-time MLA, echoed similar concerns.

This latest push underscores ongoing demands for greater regional autonomy and development in northern Karnataka, highlighting the tension between the state’s regions and the state government.