'Fix arrogance like potholes': Karnataka vs Andhra battle for investments heats up as Lokesh, Kharge trade barbs
A fresh political tussle broke out on social media after Andhra Pradesh Minister for Human Resources Development, Nara Lokesh, and Karnataka’s Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister, Priyank Kharge, exchanged sharp remarks on X (formerly Twitter) over investments, infrastructure, and job creation.
Lokesh, in his post, said India’s youngest state must look at “every opportunity to grow and generate jobs.” He argued that states competing for investments and employment would ultimately help India prosper, but added a pointed dig, “Arrogance, like potholes on roads, should be fixed first before the journey gets tripped up!”
His remarks came in response to Kharge’s detailed note defending Karnataka’s capital, Bengaluru, after reports suggested that poor road conditions on the city’s Outer Ring Road (ORR) — home to India’s biggest tech firms — had prompted companies to consider moving to other locations, including Andhra Pradesh.
Kharge, while stressing Bengaluru’s continued dominance, said it was natural for “weaker ecosystems to feed off stronger ones,” but cautioned that when it turns into “desperate scavenging,” it reflects weakness rather than strength.
He highlighted that Bengaluru’s GDP is projected to grow at 8.5% until 2035, making it the world’s fastest-growing city, and pointed to other growth metrics: a projected 5% rise in property prices in 2025, strong migrant absorption, and continued infrastructure expansion. In a rhetorical flourish, he asked, “What is an organism that lives in or on another species and benefits by deriving nutrients at the other’s expense called?”
The exchange was triggered by an earlier post from Lokesh, who had promoted Andhra Pradesh’s plans to build a “world-class aerospace and defence ecosystem” in Anantapur, positioned just north of Bengaluru.
The back-and-forth reflects a broader Karnataka vs Andhra Pradesh rivalry over attracting investments and jobs, especially as companies weigh infrastructure quality, connectivity, and government incentives. With Bengaluru battling congestion and deteriorating infrastructure, and Andhra Pradesh pitching itself as a rising industrial hub, the debate on social media may well mirror a deeper contest between the two southern states.