Bengaluru/Amaravati, Oct 3: A sharp exchange unfolded on social media between Andhra Pradesh IT Minister Nara Lokesh and Karnataka IT/BT Minister Priyank Kharge, after reports suggested that tech companies on Bengaluru’s Outer Ring Road (ORR) zone were exploring options outside the city due to infrastructure challenges.
Lokesh, seizing the moment, pitched Andhra Pradesh as a viable destination for companies facing hurdles in Bengaluru. In a post on X, he wrote that “north sounds good, slightly more north is Anantapur, where we are building a world-class aerospace and defence ecosystem,” positioning AP as a proactive investment hub.
Kharge hit back strongly, accusing Lokesh of trying to feed off Bengaluru’s thriving ecosystem. In a pointed remark, he said:
“It is natural for weaker ecosystems to feed off stronger ones. Nothing wrong with that, but when it turns into desperate scavenging, it shows more weakness than strength.”
The Karnataka minister defended Bengaluru’s position as India’s technology capital, citing projections of sustained GDP growth, expanding real estate markets, and the city’s ability to absorb migrants. He also used a rhetorical swipe, asking what one calls an organism that survives on another while benefiting from it — drawing parallels to parasitism.
Lokesh responded in kind, accusing Kharge of arrogance. “As India’s youngest state, we are looking for every opportunity to grow and generate jobs. My humble suggestion – arrogance, like potholes on roads, should be fixed first before the journey gets tripped up,” he said.
On Thursday, Kharge again sharpened his response, saying:
“We thrive on competition. But arrogance is not pointing out shortcomings, it is to think that your fledgling ecosystem is already better than the largest tech cluster in India. Desperation isn’t a strategy.”
The online duel highlights the intensifying competition among South Indian states to attract investments in technology, aerospace, and other high-value sectors. While Andhra Pradesh projects itself as an emerging destination hungry for growth, Karnataka continues to assert its legacy as the undisputed IT hub of India.
The fiery back-and-forth has caught public attention, with netizens awaiting whether Lokesh will return with another retort. The exchange underscores the intensifying competition among South Indian states to woo investments in technology, aerospace, and other high-value sectors — with political one-upmanship playing out in the open.