‘Andhra Food Is Spicy, So Are Our Investments’: Nara Lokesh Taunts Karnataka After Google’s Vizag AI Hub Move
A sharp social media jab from Andhra Pradesh minister Nara Lokesh has intensified the growing rivalry between the two southern states over big-ticket investments, particularly after Google announced plans for a mega AI hub in Visakhapatnam instead of Bengaluru. Taking a swipe at the Siddaramaiah-led government in Karnataka, the Telugu Desam Party leader mocked his neighbours for “feeling the burn.”
In a post on X (formerly Twitter) on Thursday, Lokesh wrote, “They say Andhra food is spicy. Seems some of our investments are too. Some neighbours are already feeling the burn!” He accompanied the post with hashtags like #AndhraRising and #YoungestStateHighestInvestment, directly linking his taunt to his state’s success in attracting investment.The barb comes as the Karnataka government faces a storm of criticism over Google’s decision to build a $15 billion artificial intelligence hub in Visakhapatnam.
Opposition leaders, including from the JDS, have blamed the Congress government for failing to provide a business-friendly environment, allowing a major project to slip away from Bengaluru, India’s Silicon Valley.
The pressure on the Karnataka government has been compounded by criticism from within. Biocon chief Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw recently posted on X about the poor state of Bengaluru’s infrastructure, questioning the government’s commitment to supporting investment. “Why are the roads (in Bengaluru) so bad… Why is there so much garbage… Doesn’t the government want to support investment?” she wrote, recounting the experience of an overseas visitor.Karnataka’s leadership has pushed back against the criticism.
Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar dismissed attempts by other states to poach businesses, asserting, “You can’t match Bengaluru infrastructure, startups, human resources, and innovations.” Meanwhile, Congress leader Priyank Kharge acknowledged the infrastructure challenges but attributed them to “unprecedented rains, high growth rate, and massive urbanisation.”
