Live
- Digital Transformation 3.0: How Businesses Monetize Engagement in the Post-Data Era
- Bihar polls: RJD alleges suspicious activity at Hajipur strong room; ECI rejects claim
- ISSF World C'ship: Ravinder is the free pistol world champion as Olympian Elavenil wins air rifle bronze
- Ravi Kishan-Tej Pratap meeting was routine, RJD spreading rumours: BJP’s Pratul Shah Deo
- 5th T20I: Feels great to finally touch the trophy, says Suryakumar after series win over Australia
- Yami Gautam recollects asking for help from a Gen Z during ‘Bala’
- ‘Hindu society at its peak, wants to unite world’: Mohan Bhagwat
- MHA virtually rejects demand for Union Territories for Kuki-Zo tribals in Manipur
- PM Modi meets Bharat Ratna LK Advani, extends birthday wishes
- Uttanoor Thimmapa Sagar Elected President of Jogulamba Gadwal District Sagara Sangham; Leaders Call for Unity and Political Empowerment
Andhra IT minister Nara Lokesh takes a jibe at Priyank Kharge amid Google investment row
Andhra Pradesh IT Minister Nara Lokesh took a subtle dig at Karnataka IT-BT Minister Priyank Kharge on X, saying, “They say Andhra food is spicy — looks like some of our investments have also turned out to be too hot for them to handle,” adding a chilli emoji for effect.
Hyderabad: Andhra Pradesh IT Minister Nara Lokesh took a subtle dig at Karnataka IT-BT Minister Priyank Kharge on X, saying, “They say Andhra food is spicy — looks like some of our investments have also turned out to be too hot for them to handle,” adding a chilli emoji for effect.
The remark came amid an ongoing war of words between Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka over Google’s ₹1.3 lakh crore investment in Visakhapatnam, which is expected to generate around 30,000 jobs.
Recently, Priyank Kharge had criticized the Andhra government’s incentives to Google, calling them an “economic disaster.” He pointed out that Andhra Pradesh had offered ₹22,000 crore in incentives, 25% subsidy on land and water charges, free electricity, and a 100% state GST refund. “If Karnataka had done this, we would have been accused of bankrupting the state,” Kharge said.
The Congress minister’s remarks came in response to BJP and JD(S) leaders who accused the Siddaramaiah government of losing a massive investment opportunity to Andhra Pradesh.
Reacting to Kharge’s statement, Nara Lokesh responded without naming Karnataka, stating that Andhra Pradesh is witnessing rapid growth and attracting major investments despite being a smaller state. “Industrialists are saying Karnataka’s infrastructure is deteriorating and power cuts are frequent. Karnataka should first fix these issues,” Lokesh said at a press conference.
He added that competition among states is healthy and ultimately benefits India. “Many states tried to woo Google before we signed the agreement. We held multiple meetings and resolved all concerns to bring the project to Visakhapatnam,” he explained.
Lokesh also credited his father, Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu, for turning Hyderabad into a global tech hub. “During the computer revolution, many ridiculed us asking if we could eat computers. But it was Naidu’s vision and industry-friendly policies that made Hyderabad the tech city it is today, providing jobs to lakhs,” he said.
Lokesh’s sharp yet humorous remark has further intensified the political back-and-forth between the two southern states, each claiming credit or criticizing the other over the high-profile Google investment.
