Bengaluru, Oct 24 (IANS): Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar on Tuesday said that his native Kanakapura taluk will be made part of Bengaluru district, sparking off a political spat.

Attending a religious function at Kanakapura, he said that the city of Kanakapura will join Bengaluru and appealed to the people not to sell their lands to people from Bengaluru.

"The people of Kanakapura do not belong to Ramanagara district. They are from Bengaluru district and it must not be forgotten. All villages will be part of Bengaluru one or the other day. Mark my words. Also, I can't discuss on making Kanakapura a separate district as well," he maintained.

"I can't deposit money or construct houses for everyone here. The god has given me power to increase your prices of property by ten times. The position of Deputy CM is confined to Bengaluru. I won't hesitate to deliver when it comes to my place. This is the reason I chose to come here despite the important programme in Mysuru," Shivakumar said.

Taking strong objection to the statement, JD-S and former Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy alleged that the proposal is made only to "fill his coffers".

"The statement of Shivakumar to join Kanakapura with Bengaluru is incorrect. He had started this new drama only with an intention to get the prices of his properties hiked in and around Kanakapura. This is done in the guise of helping people of Kanakapura. The statement of Shivakumar that people of Kanakapura belong to Bengaluru amounts to betrayal towards present Ramanagara district.

"Who owns majority of property in the surroundings of Kanakapura? Among them how much are benamis? Where fences are erected illegally? The proposal to make Kanakapura part of Bengaluru is to regularise all those illegal properties," he alleged.

Noting that Bengaluru is 52 km away from Kanakapura whereas Ramanagara district headquarters is 25 km away, Kumaraswamy said: "Which is convenient for people? The proposal by DyCM raises many suspicions."

Shivakumar had not spoken about constructing a tunnel way from Bengaluru to Kanakapura, he added.

"Ramanagara district is the dream of people of Kanakapura, Ramanagara, Magadi and Channapatna Assembly constituencies."I had made it a reality. Now for his selfish goals, Shivakumar is making the statement," he said.

Kanakapura will remain as the part of Ramanagara district, Shivakumar should understand, he underlined.