Karnataka vs Andhra Pradesh: The Battle for Tech Investment Heats Up as Siddaramaiah Highlights Apple's Choice

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah (File).

In the escalating dispute over infrastructure and investment between Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has responded firmly to critics on Friday.

Following a heated exchange between Andhra Pradesh IT Minister Nara Lokesh and Karnataka IT Minister Priyank Kharge on social media platform X, and after Google's decision to invest $15 billion in Vizag rather than Bengaluru, Siddaramaiah remarked, "Investors will invest where they want to..."

Despite losing the Google investment, Siddaramaiah pointedly noted to critics, particularly Nara Lokesh, "Apple invested here... not in Andhra Pradesh." He also condemned what he described as deliberate social media campaigns targeting Karnataka.

His response comes after provocative posts from Nara Lokesh and Janata Dal Secular leader Nikhil Kumaraswamy on Thursday. Lokesh proclaimed "Karnataka is feeling the burn!" while Kumaraswamy, son of JDS leader HD Kumaraswamy, drew unfavorable comparisons between Congress and Andhra's ruling Telugu Desam Party, which like the JDS, is aligned with the BJP.

This ongoing conflict originated in mid-September when Rajesh Yabaji, co-founder of a Bengaluru-based logistics company, voiced concerns about lengthy commute times and deteriorating roads near his office in the Bellandur area.

Lokesh quickly responded to Yabaji's social media complaint, offering Vizag as an alternative. As more Bengaluru businesses, leaders, and residents highlighted the city's infrastructure challenges, he increasingly promoted Andhra Pradesh as a potential investment destination.

Lokesh's promotional efforts triggered sharp responses from Karnataka officials. Kharge referenced "weaker ecosystems feeding off stronger ones" and emphasized Bengaluru's GDP, projected to grow 8.5 percent annually until 2035, potentially making it the world's fastest-growing city.

After Google confirmed its $15 billion investment in Andhra Pradesh for an AI and data hub, Lokesh taunted on X, "They say Andhra food is spicy. (It) seems some of our investments are too. Some neighbours are already feeling the burn."

In a recent interview with NDTV, an unapologetic Lokesh stated that Andhra had already secured over $120 billion in investment and acknowledged that their reform pace had created tensions with Karnataka. However, he maintained that concerned states needed to respond, declaring, "That is their challenge..."

The interstate rivalry has also involved Biocon chief Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, who shared on X that a Chinese colleague questioned Bengaluru's poor road conditions and garbage situation, asking, "Doesn't the government want to support investment?"

Her post—along with residents writing to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah threatening to withhold property taxes unless the city addresses its "killer potholes" and deteriorating infrastructure—has further intensified the dispute.

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