The Gujarat government has decided to rename dragon fruit as 'Kamalam', Chief Minister Vijay Rupani has said.

The Gujarat government has decided to rename dragon fruit as 'Kamalam', Chief Minister Vijay Rupani has said.

The state government has applied for a patent to change the nomenclature of dragon fruit, which is largely grown in Kutch, Navsari and different parts of Saurashtra, to 'Kamalam', Rupani told reporters on Tuesday.

Chief Minister Vijay Rupani"The name dragon fruit is not proper, and due to its name one thinks of China. So we have given it the name 'Kamalam'," he said.

Asked why the name 'Kamalam' has been given to the fruit, Rupani said, "Farmers say it looks like lotus and that is the reason we have named it 'Kamalam'."

Notably, 'Kamal', or lotus, is the poll symbol of the BJP and Gujarat party unit headquarters is named Shri Kamalam.

Dragon fruitThere is nothing political behind renaming of the fruit, Rupani said.

The CM also said it is the most expensive fruit available in the market at this time.