Hyderabad: Andhra Pradesh’s IT and electronics minister Nara Lokesh is evidently unwilling to forget the mortifying snub by his Karnataka counterpart Priyank Kharge.
In a post on X, Nara Lokesh noted that some neighbors were unable to digest the huge investments the Andhra Pradesh government successfully attracted.
“They say Andhra food is spicy. Seems some of our investments are too. Some neighbours are already feeling the burn!,” Lokesh wrote on X.
While Lokesh did not name the “neighbours”, netizens were quick to respond.
They say Andhra food is spicy. Seems some of our investments are too. Some neighbours are already feeling the burn! 🌶️🔥 #AndhraRising #YoungestStateHighestInvestment
— Lokesh Nara (@naralokesh) October 16, 2025
“Neighbours think they are the Silicon Valley… where in fact the infrastructure crumbles every day from 9-5 pm,” said one Dr Meghanath, replying under Lokesh’s post.
Nara Lokesh’s post comes a day after Karnataka minister Priyank Kharge reportedly remarked that AP’s largesse—a huge incentive package to tech giant Google—“is an economic disaster”.
On Tuesday, the US-based tech giant announced a $15 billion strategic investment, over five years, to establish India’s first Artificial Intelligence hub at Visakhapatnam, aka Vizag, with a gigawatt-scale data center and a robust subsea network.
The project aims to “position Vizag as the nation’s flagship AI city and a catalyst for next‑generation digital infrastructure and innovation”.
A day later, the heat was on Priyank Kharge as opposition BJP and JD(S) slammed the Congress government for Karnataka missing out on the massive project and investment.
In a tweet, Karnataka BJP questioned if Priyank had the capability to attract investments like Google, which would “have provided employment to 30,000 people and earned the state Rs 10,000 crore”.
Priyank Kharge defended himself saying that the BJP and JD(S)—in the NDA alliance of which TDP is also a part—were conveniently ignoring the fact that Andhra Pradesh was giving Google an “incentive worth Rs 22,000 crore, 25 percent subsidy on land, 25 percent subsidy on water, free electricity and 100% reimbursement of State GST”.
The Congress minister went on to question if “the state can afford this?”
“If Karnataka had offered the same, we would have been accused of appeasing industry, draining the financial status of Karnataka,” he told reporters.
CM Chandrababu Naidu and Lokesh credited PM Narendra Modi for Google’s massive investment and data centre coming to Andhra. Priyank questioned, “What were the BJP MPs (from Karnataka) doing?”
Priyank also claimed that the Siddaramaiah government held no discussions with Google over the AI project that eventually went to neighboring Andhra Pradesh.
Nara Lokesh’s tweet came the next day, “spicing up” the debate between the two states and triggering twitterati on both sides.
“You are a Minister in a State Government. I would urge you to make statements on this platform that suits the dignity of the office you occupy. Competition between States is good, but stopping to troll is not in good taste. Thank you for your attention to this matter,” posted one Varun Hari Prasad, identifying himself as a Kannadiga.
But not all seem to be worried about Andhra Pradesh attracting the big investment. “Some neighbours are already feeling the burn?! Who??? Only Karnataka is feeling the burn! Esp. Bengaluru!!! Please take away some jobs, projects, a lot of people, troubles, and traffic. We need to breathe free,” posted one Bobby Mathew from Bengaluru, under Lokesh’s post.
Lokesh vs Priyank
Earlier this month, Lokesh’s tweet attempting to capitalise on some entrepreneurs’ resentment over Bengaluru’s “crumbling infrastructure” and attract some investments to nearby Anantapuram in Andhra Pradesh, had drawn Priyank’s ire.
“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,” Priyank posted in response to Lokesh’s online scouting, and added: “BTW, what is an organism that lives in or on an organism of another species and benefits by deriving nutrients at the other’s expense called?”
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.
– Bengaluru’s GDP is projected to grow at a significant 8.5% until 2035, positioning it as the world's… https://t.co/E2tRggt8UW
— Priyank Kharge / ಪ್ರಿಯಾಂಕ್ ಖರ್ಗೆ (@PriyankKharge) October 2, 2025
Lokesh too did not hold back his response. “Arrogance, like potholes on roads, should be fixed first before the journey gets tripped up!” the Andhra minister said submitting his “humble suggestion”.
As India’s youngest state, we are looking for every opportunity to grow and generate jobs. I truly believe that as states compete for investments and jobs, India will prosper.
My humble suggestion – Arrogance, like potholes on roads, should be fixed first before the journey… https://t.co/niVlB5ke7Z
— Lokesh Nara (@naralokesh) October 2, 2025
On Thursday, as Lokesh, after his “spicy food-neighbour burn” post accompanied his father and CM Naidu in PM Modi’s Srisailam-Kurnool tour, a close aide of the minister told ThePrint, “it’s all in good humour”.
(Edited by Viny Mishra)