The Union Cabinet on Tuesday approved the Kerala government’s proposal to rename the state ‘Keralam’, triggering sharp political reactions from West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. While welcoming linguistic identity recognition in principle, Banerjee accused the Centre of discrimination, pointing out that West Bengal’s long-pending proposal to rename the state ‘Bangla’ has not received approval despite being passed twice by the state Assembly.
Reacting to the Cabinet’s decision, Mamata Banerjee alleged that West Bengal has faced unequal treatment. She said the name “West Bengal”, beginning with the letter ‘W’, often results in the state being called last at national meetings and interviews, placing it at a symbolic disadvantage.
The Chief Minister also accused the BJP of selectively invoking Bengali identity during elections while failing to respect the sentiments of the state’s people. She further claimed that changing Kerala’s name had become easier due to evolving political equations in that state, asserting that West Bengal’s name would eventually be changed when political circumstances allow.
The Trinamool Congress (TMC) has been pushing for the renaming of West Bengal since coming to power in 2011. The West Bengal Legislative Assembly unanimously passed a resolution in July 2018 seeking to rename the state ‘Bangla’, reflecting its linguistic and cultural heritage. However, the proposal has yet to receive the Centre’s approval.
Last month, during Zero Hour in the Rajya Sabha, TMC MP Ritabrata Banerjee again raised the issue, urging the Union government to clear the pending request. He argued that the name ‘Bangla’ better represents the state’s history and identity. According to party leaders, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has also written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the past seeking formal approval.
Meanwhile, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw confirmed that the Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Modi, cleared the proposal to rename Kerala as ‘Keralam’. Following Cabinet approval, President Droupadi Murmu is expected to refer the Kerala (Alteration of Name) Bill, 2026 to the Kerala Legislative Assembly under Article 3 of the Constitution for its views.
