BS Yediurappa government's Karnataka cabinet on Wednesday gave in principle approval for the formation of 31st district Vijayanagara, separating it out from the mine-rich Ballari. Chief Minister had then said the district headquarters which is 200 kms away causing inconvenience to farmers, poor, labourers and common people and necessitated formation of new district. 

"After informal discussions we have taken a decision for the creation of Vijayanagara district. All the details in this regard will be shared after the next cabinet meeting," Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister J C Madhuswamy said. The minister has informed the reporters about the approval to form the 31st district. Minister for Forest and Ballari district in-charge Anand Singh, the anchor for the efforts for the new district, said the demand for it was long-standing and dreams of western Bellari area people had been fulfilled.

"It was an aspiration to have a separate district that included the then capital of a Hindu empire (Vijayanagara empire) Hampi. Today our Chief Minister and all the cabinet colleagues have discussed it seriously and have given approval to it," he said. Even a MLA from JDS cited the new district formation as a reason to join BJP. Ballari, is politically significant, comprises nine assembly segments of which the Congress had won five and the BJP four in the 2018 polls. In a note written to the Chief Secretary in September last year, Yediyurappa had said keeping public and administrative interest in mind, it was necessary to create the new district with six out of 11 taluks in Ballari district with Hosapet as its headquarters. 

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