The Union Cabinet approved the proposal to rename the southern state of Kerala as Keralam on Tuesday. This decision comes ahead of the state's assembly elections and will now pave the way for a constitutional amendment in Parliament. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has questioned the move, noting that her government's repeated proposals to rename the state have been stalled.
The Union Cabinet approved the proposal to rename India's southern state of Kerala as Keralam on Tuesday, a move initiated by the state government in 2024 under Article 3 of the Constitution. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who chaired the meeting, stated on social media, "The decision of the Union Cabinet on alteration of the name of Kerala to Keralam reflects the will of the people of the state. It is in line with our efforts to strengthen the connect with our glorious culture." The Kerala Assembly had passed resolutions supporting the change in 2023 and 2024, both moved by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. Last month, Kerala BJP state president Rajeev Chandrasekhar wrote to the chief minister extending the party's support.
The demand stems from the state's historical and linguistic roots, as highlighted by Shaju Philip.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has questioned the approval. She noted that her government sent a proposal eight years ago to rename West Bengal as Bangla, which remains unapproved. While congratulating Kerala's people, Banerjee claimed the Centre cleared the CPI(M)-led Kerala government's proposal due to their "connection" with the BJP, accusing them of being "anti-Bengal." In 2018, the TMC government proposed changing West Bengal to Bangla, but the Ministry of External Affairs argued it was nearly identical to neighboring Bangladesh. West Bengal has pushed for a name change at least four times, from Jyoti Basu's era to Mamata Banerjee's, without success.
This approval advances Kerala's cultural identity, while similar demands from other states remain pending.
