The demand for division of Belagavi, the biggest district in the State after Bengaluru, has been raised again, with leaders from across the political spectrum speaking about it openly.
The 25-year-old demand has been raised several times in the past. However, Kannada organisations have voted it down. In 1997, when the J.H. Patel government announced formation of Chikkodi district, Kannada organisations held a month-long dharna against the move. They argued that such a move would strengthen the demand by Marathi organisations that Marathi speaking areas should be merged with Maharashtra.
