The clamor to rename Ahmednagar city is increasing following the official renaming of Aurangabad and Osmanabad to Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and Dharashiv, respectively. Gopichand Padalkar, a BJP MLC, expressed his gratitude and forwarded the demand to rename Ahmednagar to 'Ahilyanagar' after the distinguished Maratha queen.
Padalkar tweeted in Marathi, "Thanks and congratulations to the Shinde-Fadnavis government for renaming Aurangabad to Sambhajinagar and Osmanabad to Dharashiv. Likewise, Ahmednagar, the birthplace of Punyashlok Ahilya Devi, will be renamed 'Ahilyanagar' under the leadership of Devendra Fadnavis."
In its previous cabinet meeting, the Maha Vikas Aghadi government had sanctioned the proposal to rename Aurangabad and Osmanabad. After that, the Eknath Shinde-led government initially halted all decisions made by the previous government but later proceeded with the decision to rename Aurangabad and Osmanabad. Congress leader and then minister Aslam Shaikh walked out as a protest when the Uddhav Thackeray-led government decided this in the last cabinet meeting, indicating a widening gap between Congress and Thackeray.
Ahilyabai Holkar was born in Chondi village of Ahmednagar district, and according to Padalkar, there has been a long-standing demand to rename the city after Ahilyabai. If this happens, it will be a true tribute to her.