Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray has said renaming of cities is the jurisdiction of the Centre and not state governments. Thackeray made the statement in the state Legislative Assembly on Tuesday, against the backdrop of the issue of renaming Aurangabad as Sambhajinagar. The Shiv Sena, which has been a votary of the name change, is facing opposition from its ally Congress in Maharashtra.

The opposition BJP in the state has been attacking the Uddhav Thackeray-led party, claiming it was forsaking its old demands just to remain in power. The civic polls in Aurangabad are due this year. In a written reply to Yogesh Sagar (BJP)in the Assembly on Tuesday, Thackeray said "renaming of cities is the jurisdiction of the Centre and not state governments".