Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: AIMIM MP Imtiaz Jaleel seeks referendum on Aurangabad renaming

All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) MP Imtiaz Jaleel has demanded a referendum on the Eknath Shinde-led Maharashtra government’s move to rename Aurangabad as Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, as he said that only people can take a decision on the name change and not any leader sitting in Delhi or Mumbai.

AIMIM MP Imtiaz Jaleel, who represents the Aurangabad Lok Sabha constituency, led a candle march from the district collector's office to Jubilee Park here on Thursday night in protest of the decision to rename the city.

Addressing the participants, Jaleel said, “Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Shiv Sena were in power during 2014-2019. That time they did not rename the city, but when his government was about to go, Uddhav Thackeray remembered that the dream of his late father (Bal Thackeray) has to be fulfilled.”

Jaleel said, “Only the CM and the Deputy CM took the decision of changing the name of Aurangabad city.”

“No leader sitting in Mumbai, Delhi…no matter how big they are, can decide about renaming any city in the country. The decision should be through a public poll. A referendum should be held on this,” the AIMIM’s Maharashtra unit chief said.