“Karnataka is feeling the heat!” declared Andhra Pradesh minister Nara Lokesh on Thursday, continuing the sharp exchange with Karnataka over Bengaluru’s poor road conditions and infrastructure, which are affecting businesses in India’s ‘Silicon Valley.’
Lokesh, in a playful post on X, noted, “They say Andhra food is spicy, and it seems some of our investments are too. Some neighbors are already feeling the burn.” The clash began in mid-September after Rajesh Yabaji, co-founder of a logistics company, complained about long commutes and bad roads near Bellandur. Lokesh quickly suggested Vizag as an alternative investment hub and pushed Andhra Pradesh as a better option as more Bengaluru-based businesses voiced similar frustrations.
Lokesh told NDTV that Andhra has attracted over $120 billion in investments, acknowledging that Karnataka is uneasy about Andhra’s rapid reforms but insisted, “That is their challenge.” Karnataka leaders fired back, with Deputy CM DK Shivakumar dismissing Andhra’s attempts to lure investments as “desperate scavenging” and IT Minister Priyank Kharge criticizing the massive subsidies offered to US companies.
Lokesh retorted, “If Karnataka’s government is inefficient, that’s their problem. Even their industrialists admit the infrastructure and power supply are poor. They should fix those issues first.”
