We have Apple here: Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah's jibe at Andhra Pradesh

NEW DELHI: Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah on Friday intensified the ongoing spat with Andhra Pradesh IT minister Nara Lokesh, defending Bengaluru’s IT strength while taking aim at the neighbouring state’s ‘spicy’ Google investment. Speaking to reporters in Mysuru, Siddaramaiah said, “Apple invested here, not in Andhra Pradesh." The remarks centre on Google’s proposed $15 billion AI and data centre in Visakhapatnam.

Earlier in the day, Karnataka’s IT Minister Priyank Kharge took a swipe at Andhra Pradesh for offering “massive subsidies” to the tech giant, calling the incentives – including full GST reimbursement, subsidised land, water, and power – an “economic disaster in disguise,” worth around Rs 22,000 crore. “Bengaluru has built its IT strength without selling its future,” Kharge added, highlighting Karnataka’s focus on innovation, talent, and policy stability. On Thursday, Lokesh took to social media, saying, “They say Andhra food is spicy. Seems some of our investments are too. Some neighbours are already feeling the burn!” His post, which included chilli and fire emojis, quickly went viral. Kharge Jr replied, “Everyone enjoys a bit of spice in their food, but just as nutritionists recommend a balanced diet, economists too advocate a balanced budget.

Whatever said and done, we will always be: ‘Neighbour’s envy and Owner’s pride.’” This is not the first clash between the ministers. Last month, Lokesh invited a logistics firm considering relocation from north Bengaluru to Anantapur, highlighting Andhra’s aerospace and defence ecosystem. Kharge countered that weaker ecosystems “feed off stronger ones,” adding that desperate moves “expose more weakness than strength.” Lokesh hit back, urging that “arrogance, like potholes, should be fixed first before the journey gets tripped up.” The exchange reflects the growing competition among Indian states to attract large technology investments, raising questions about the balance between generous incentives and sustainable economic growth.