Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Wednesday announced that the Maharashtra government has decided to rename Ahmednagar as Ahilyanagar after Maratha queen Ahilyabai Holkar.

The announcement was made by Shinde on a day when the 298th birth anniversary of Ahilyabai Holkar is being celebrated in Maharashtra and across the country.

“The government has decided to name Ahmednagar district after Punyashlok Ahilya Devi Holkar. Our government is fortunate to have taken this decision. Ahilya Devi’s work was as big and great as the Himalayan mountains. Giving her name will increase the honor of this district,” Shinde said.

"If Rajamata Ahilyadevi Holkar weren't there, Kashi wouldn’t have remained. If she wasn’t there, we wouldn’t have temples of Lord Shiva. That’s why people want Ahmednagar renamed Ahilyanagar. I am also going to request CM Eknath Shinde about the same," he said.

Fadnavis called the ruling alliance of BJP and Shinde-led Shiv Sena a "Hindutva" government. "We are the people who chant the name of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. We have created Sambhajinagar under your (Shinde’s) leadership, and we have created Dharashiv. I believe the chief minister is ‘mawala’ (soldier) of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and thus Nagar (Ahmednagar) will be renamed Ahilyanagar."

This is the third city in Maharashtra to be renamed in a year — this February, the state government formally approved a proposal to rename Aurangabad as Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and Osmanabad as Dharashiv.